Volume 101 Issue 12

The Fordham Ram Volume 101, Issue 12

Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 FordhamRam.com

September 11, 2019

O’Malley Removed from MWH

Incoming Class Stats Consistent

By ERICA SCALISE

By HELEN STEVENSON

PROJECTS EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

A record-breaking 47,800 students applied to be a part of Fordham University’s Class of 2023, but the university was looking for a smaller class this year, according to Patricia Peek, Ph.D., dean of undergraduate admissions.

A snapshot of the freshman class proves to be generally the same as that of the freshman class last year.

As of Monday, Sept. 9, the class consists of 2,236 students, comparable to last year’s freshman class of 2,265. Peek said the university reached its goal of a smaller class and maintained an acceptance rate of about 44%.

Ten percent of the 22,000+ accepted students committed to attending.

“In a highly competitive higher ed landscape, Fordham competes for some of the most talented students against some of the finest colleges in the country,” Peek said.

“This year again, the applicant pool SEE 2023, PAGE 3

CLAYTON WALTERS/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Bronx Night Market at Fordham Plaza featured over 50 local food, drink and artisan vendors.

The BX Night Market Celebrates Cuisine, Culture

By CLAYTON WALTERS

ASSISTANT BUSINESS DIRECTOR

The Bronx Night Market, a large celebration of cuisine and culture in the Bronx’s Fordham Plaza, saw an uptick in attendees with Fordham University’s fall semester in session. The event, which includes

more than 50 local food, drink and artisan vendors, will draw close to 80,000 attendees from opening until it closes in October, organizers said.

Co-founder Amanda Celestino, FCLC ’14, began working on the Night Market in the spring of 2017. Celestino and her friend

Marco Shalma officially launched the Night Market in May of 2018.

“Both Marco and I come from food backgrounds,” she said. “We both have worked in kitchens and restaurants,” she said. “I am also a food writer SEE NIGHT MARKET, PAGE 6

McShane Reports Admin Changes

By HELEN STEVENSON NEWS EDITOR

JULIA CORBETT/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Simon’s Deli is a popular breakfast stop on Arthur Avenue for members of the Fordham and Bronx community.

Simon’s Deli on Arthur Avenue Temporarily Seized by NY State

By HELEN STEVENSON and SARAH HUFFMAN Simon’s Deli, a deli on Arthur Avenue frequently patronized

by Fordham students and mem-

bers of the Bronx community, was seized by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The business reopened shortly after its seizure.

Students noticed Simon’s was closed when an orange sign appeared on its doors.

“WARNING. This property has been seized for nonpayment of taxSEE SIMON'S, PAGE 3

Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, announced several administrative updates in an email to the Fordham community on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Marco Valera, vice president for Facilities Management, assumed the role of vice president for Administration as of Aug. 1. He replaced Thomas A. Dunne, who retired in July to pursue pro bono work on immigration.

Valera will continue to oversee Facilities, Sustainability, Public Safety and Conference Services, while adding Government Relations, Military and Veterans’ Services and Real Estate to his jurisdiction.

According to Valera, he now oversees 425 employees and a budget of $730 million.

In his new position, he said he is looking to increase the relationships across all of the teams he oversees.

SEE ADMIN, PAGE 6

Editor’s Note: This article contains mentions of sexual abuse.

Rev. William J. O’Malley, former theology professor at Fordham Preparatory School and one-time actor in the 1973 film “The Exorcist” was removed from Murray-Weigel Hall after he was accused of sexual abuse against a minor.

He began teaching at Fordham Prep in the 1986–1987 school year, one year after the alleged abuse at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester took place, according to Rolling Stone.

O’Malley was eventually let go from Fordham Prep after Prep’s then-president, Father Kenneth Boller said his teaching style was abrasive.

Bob Howe, director of communications for the university, said O’Malley’s case is consistent with an agreement made between the university and the Jesuit USA Northeast Province last school year. “[T]he province agreed at the university’s insistence earlier this year to the immediate removal of residents against whom credible allegations are made,” Howe said.

“That was the case with Father O’Malley.”

Howe also restated that the university does not have control over Murray-Weigel Hall and does not have a regular flow of information concerning its tenants.

The university did not respond to questions about whether O’Malley had student volunteers visiting him at Murray-Weigel.

As of Aug. 26, 2019, Michael Gabriele, director of communications for the Northeast Province, said O’Malley was removed from Murray-Weigel following the allegation and there are currently no Jesuits at Murray-Weigel with a known allegation.

SEE MWH, PAGE 5

in this issue

Opinion

Page 8

“The College Experience” is Indispensible

Sports

Page 28

Football Falls 57-29 to Ball State

Culture

Page 19

One Theatre, One Screen 71 Years: Goodbye Paris Theatre

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

September 11, 2019

College Democrats Talk 2020 Primary Issues

Focus on Gun Control and Student Debt

By KRISTEN MCNERNEY

Sept. 3 Lorillard Place 12:00 a.m.

A student reported her parked car was broken into in front of 2093 Lorillard Place. Someone slashed her soft top rear window.

The student did not wish to report the incident to the police.

Sept. 4 E. 188th Street 2:06 a.m.

Public Safety recieved a report from a Fordham student that his car was broken into on E. 188th Street. His rear window was broken, and the car was ransacked.

No property was taken. The 48th precinct responded to the scene.

Sept. 4 O'Hare Hall 6:35 p.m.

A fire alarm was activated in O'Hare. The NYFD responded.

Upon investigation, a smoke detector was activated in Urban Kitchen due to burnt food. The fire department reset the alarm and deemed the area safe.

Sept. 5 Hoffman Street 5:55 p.m.

At 2466 Hoffman St., a student reported packages delivered in a vestibule. Someone gained access to the building through the basement and stole sneakers. The NYPD was notified.

STAFF WRITER

As Democratic primary anticipation builds, president of the College Democrats at Rose Hill, Mike Fissinger, FCRH ’21, said for Fordham students it seems that climate change and student debt are key issues this election cycle.

“I think two issues that students really care about are climate change and student debt,” he said. “Climate change is arguably the preeminent threat of our generation, and immediate action is required if we want to have any hope of curbing its effects.”

Fissinger said many Republicans fail to recognize the legitimacy of climate change, while Democrats understand the burden that this generation and future generations will carry if nothing is done about it.

Regarding student debt, Fissinger spoke of the many students taking out loans to afford tuition at Fordham. He imagined them paying attention to candidates who propose plans to tackle the issue.

Similarly, Treasurer of College Democrats Claire McDonnell, FCRH '21, cited gun control and reproductive rights as issues important to students in the demo-

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORDHAM COLLEGE DEMOCRATS

The Fordham College Democrats executive board including McDonnell (second from the right) and Fissinger (far left).

cratic primary.

After the 2016 cycle, in which some Democrats were surprised by the victory of President Donald Trump, McDonnell said the Democratic party would need unity in order to take the White House in 2020. She thought a lack

Sept. 7 E. Fordham Road 2:00 a.m.

A student stated he was dancing at Barnyard BBQ with a friend when someone began to push him. He said a male punched him in the face several times, causing a bloody lip and a swollen cheek. A female student became involved in the commotion and was struck. Public Safety is investigating the incident.

— Compiled by Sarah Huffman

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Bernie Sander's is a current Democratic front runner. He also ran in 2016.

of unity was a contributing factor in the loss of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. During the Democratic primary, the party saw division as the more progressive Bernie Sanders drew support from establishment candidate Hillary Clinton. It took over a month after Clinton cinched the nomination for Sanders to endorse her.

“I think that coming together as a party is incredibly important in the 2020 election,” said McDonnell.

In addition to lining up the views of voters and the party platform, voter registration and participation is key, according to Fissinger. To this end, the club is encouraging voter registration and participation among students, along with several nonpartisan organizations on campus continue to encourage Fordham students to register.

Lesley A. Massiah-Arthur, associate vice president and special assistant to the president for government relations at the university, sent an email to the Fordham community on Monday, Sept. 9, urging students to register.

"Exercising your right to vote on Election Day is an important duty, too important to ignore or

neglect,” she wrote. “As Fordham men and women for others, we have a responsibility to be citizens engaged in the civic life of our local, state and national communities.”

In addition to providing online services, Massiah-Arthur said students could pick up voter registration forms at the Office of the Dean of Students at the Lincoln Center, Rose Hill and Westchester campuses.

McDonnell said in addition to registering; there are many ways to get involved in politics such as getting involved with a campaign or College Democrats.

Fissinger and members of the club are locally engaged and regularly correspond with City Councilman Ritchie Torres’ office and Bronx community Board Six. “We always try to keep our club members updated on different opportunities to get involved with community partners,” he said.

Fissinger said it was too early to predict primary results, and the club is refraining from endorsing any candidates. However, with 10 front-runners debating on ABC, Thursday, Sept. 12; Fissinger said he expects heightened student interest.

This Week at Fordham Thursday Sept. 12

Thursday Sept. 12

College Democrats Debate Watch Party

Spoon University General Meeting

The Democrats are hosting a watchparty in Dealy Hall for the third Democratic debate. Ten Candidates have qualified for the ABC debate in Texas. The front-runners are Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Spoon University is hosting its first annual meeting at 7:00 p.m. in Keating 121. They will discuss ideas for online content, events and club roles. Food will be provided. The club said baked goods are often a part of meetings.

Dealy 115 7:30 p.m.–11:45 p.m.

Keating 121 7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Thursday Sept. 12 Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival Campbell Multipurpose Room 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrating the reunion of family and friends.

The club will give a presentation on the cultural background of the holiday and get to know one another over mooncakes.

Friday Sept. 13

Saturday Sept. 14

SEAJ Info Sesh

Mock Trial Tryouts

Freeman 103 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Students for Environmental Awareness and Justice is hosting an information session about the club. The club says the event is to introduce students to resources in the Fordham Community that promote wellness and sustainability.

Keating 319 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

In a morning session from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and an afternoon session from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Keating. If you are interested in trying out contact Mocktrialrh@fordham.edu. This club is good for those interested in law or debate.

NEWS

September 11, 2019

Page 3

Freshmen Class Simon’s Deli Owner Fails to Trends Appear to File Taxes, Property Seized Be Stagnant

by State for Several Days FROM 2023, PAGE 1

was comprised of students who had many options.”

According to Peek, the average high school GPA was 3.64 and the average testing (SAT) score was a 1355.

“GPA is even [compared to last year’s class] and testing is ahead by six points on the ACT/SAT high score scale,” she said.

Thirty-seven percent of the class are domestic students of color, even with last year’s statistics. However, only 8% are international students – down 40 students against last year. Peek said the office is pleased with the class statistics given the higher education landscape.

“We are pleased to have realized a class that continues to be

both diverse and academically quite strong,” said Peek. “Many outside forces influenced college admission process for nearly all schools this year.”

In particular, she said, many schools are seeing declines in their international student population.

“Making sure our community is diverse remains one of our top priorities, and we are going to be adding an associate director of diversity initiatives to our team this fall,” she said.

The gender breakdown of the class of 2023 is 58% female and 42% male, compared to last year’s 56% female and 44% male. Residents make up 78% of the class, while 22% commute, which is similar to last year’s incoming class.

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Class of 2023, pictured above, joined Fordham University this fall.

FROM SIMON'S, PAGE 1

es, and is now in the possession of the state of New York,” the sign read.

According to business owner Simon Kajtazi, the deli closed because his mother neglected to file her taxes on time.

“It can happen to anyone,” he said.

Kajtazi said some students were concerned that the Barnyard BBQ, a bar in the Belmont neighborhood owned by Kajtazi, would also be closed.

However, Barnyard BBQ was not seized because the two businesses are under different names and corporations, according to Kajtazi. “[The students] were more concerned about it affecting the Barnyard,” he said.

He said many Fordham students contacted him with their concerns about both businesses when the deli closed.

Kiyana Marsh, FCRH ’21, said she was one of those students.

When she called, Kajtazi explained the tax filing issue.

Marsh said she didn’t know if it was going to open again and was worried that it would take a long time even if it did.

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Simon’s Deli was briefly seized by New York State for nonpayment of taxes.

“I’m just happy they’re back,” she said. “I love going to Simon’s every morning for breakfast and need their iced coffee to get through the day.”

Anthony Gambino, FCRH ’21, said he was in shock when Simon’s closed.

“I was there the day before and had no idea that was po-

tentially the last greasy burger and shake I would scarf down at Simons,” he said. “Honestly, I’m glad it’s back, but it’s kind of anticlimactic that it reopened only a few days later.”

According to Kajtazi, Simon’s Deli opened in 2007, but his family has been doing business here since 1986.

10 Digital Resources

Fordham Students Need FREE Microsoft Office Online Yes, free! (As long as you’re a Fordham student) My.Fordham > Student tab > Microsoft Office Online

2 3

4

Print Anywhere on Campus Send your doc to remoteprint@fordham.edu from your Fordham email address. Add funds to your Fordham ID card online: remoteprint.fordham.edu

For active students.

Credit good for 1 academic year.

If you missed the initial $5 load in August, contact IT Customer Care and request $5 for your Pharos account.

(Some students may receive additional funds from their schools.)

Laptop Loans Forget your laptop? Short-term loans available from Media Services. Inquire at Lowenstein 418 (LC) or Keating B-27 (RH).

Grab and go!

7

$5 Printing & Photocopy Credit

IT Team Back-toSchool Support Get tech help on move-in day from the student IT Team.

They’re in the blue shirts!

Sunday, August 25, 9 am–3 pm

10

(freshman halls)

Monday, August 26, 10:30 am–2:30 pm

5 6

Your @fordham.edu address is your gateway to Google’s G Suite Apps! Drive, Hangouts, Calendar, Earth, YouTube and dozens more.

Fordham.edu/Gmail

8

• Instructional technology assistants • Network and User Support technicians

(upper class halls)

IT Customer Care (itcc) for Tech Help

Part-time and work-study positions available for students who love technology.

Get tech help all semester long.

CALL 718-817-3999 Monday–Friday: 8 am – 8 pm Saturday: 10 am–6 pm

Training provided.

Give yourself a professional edge.

Work for Fordham IT.

VISIT US Rose Hill | McGinley 229 Monday–Friday: 8 am–8 pm Saturday: 10 am–6 pm Lincoln Center | Lowenstein SL19A Monday–Friday: 8 am–8 pm

Microsoft Online Learning What will you learn today?

Digital literacy. MS Office.

Programming. Infrastructure.

Self-paced online courses.

My.Fordham > My Apps tab > Microsoft Online Learning

fordham.edu/ITJobOpportunities

• Office and media assistants • IT Customer Care consultants • Internships and much more!

(upper class halls)

Tuesday, August 27, 10:30 am–2:30 pm

Full Access to G Suite

Help Wanted!

Work for Fordham IT

9

Tech Help Tab Ask for tech help online, anytime, from any device. Check the status of your requests, too.

My.Fordham.edu > Tech Help tab @ FordhamIT • fordham.edu/STS

NEWS

Page 4

September 11, 2019

Research Spotlight

USG Column

Student Studies at Calder Center for Summer Researches the Urban Evolution of Lichen

By ELIOT SCHIAPARELLI

By HELEN STEVENSON

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Some Fordham students use their precious summer months for internships, summer jobs, classes or travel, but for seven students, the Louis Calder Center, Fordham’s biological field station, was home for the summer of 2019.

Nestled on 113 acres, it features a forest, a lake and several streams, in addition to lab buildings, a greenhouse and a student residence.

Sarah Kowaleski, FCRH ’21, said the environment feels a bit like a summer camp. The Calder Center is located in Armonk, N.Y., and is surrounded by residential neighborhoods filled with stately homes. Fordham students can access it via Ram Vans that depart from the Rose Hill campus several times a day. Kowaleski describes the difficulty of getting an Uber in the remote location — a far cry from the three minutes it takes in the Bronx.

Students can take canoes and kayaks out on the lake for both research and enjoyment. The residences feature bunk beds, and graduate research assistants act a little bit like counselors.

Kowaleski spent her summer researching the urban evolution of lichen, the green and yellow organisms that live on trees, rocks and walls. According to Kowaleski, they form through a symbiotic relationship between photosynthetic algae and fungus.

“Lichen are used to look at air quality because lichen are able to directly absorb pollutants from the air,” she said. “So if lichen are dying off you can realize there’s a correlation between that and air quality. That’s why it’s a good study species — because we know urban environments affect them.”

Kowaleski’s job while assisting

Photo of the Week:

USG Talks Dining Concerns NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY OF SARAH KOWALESKI

Kowaleski collects a lichen sample using her collection kit. She collected lichen from multiple locations this summer.

her faculty mentor, Jason MunshiSouth, Ph.D., was to take samples from areas around New York City and compare them to samples taken from less urban environments like he Calder Center and the parks surrounding it.

Kowaleski said the graduate students living at the center often joined her on her lichen sampling trips into the city. One trip saw Kowaleski explain her research to someone outside the program.

“On one of my trips we were scraping the lichen off a tree with our collection kits and an old lady came up to us and says ‘that’s not very nice,’” said Kowaleski.

“We had to explain to her that we

weren’t hurting the tree. I think it looked like we were carving our initials into it.”

Kowaleski said the research she worked on can provide an indicator of how urbanization affects wildlife.

“During the era of industrial revolution they had been wiped out but recently they have recolonized in urban areas,” said Kowaleski. “We were looking for why they were able to do that in their genes.”

After collecting and identifying her samples, Kowaleski had to go through the processes of DNA extraction and DNA sequencing.

She then compared a single gene

ALEXANDER WOLZ/THE FORDHAM RAM

Columbus Circle is adjacent to Central Park, close to Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. The area is easily accessible to Rose Hill students via Ram Van. Attractions nearby include the turnstyle market and the globe sculpture (pictured).

in each species of lichen she collected in order to look for minute differences that could have affected how well the lichen adapted to its particular environment.

Kowaleski called these small differences “SNPs,” which is short for single nucleotide polymorphisms.

“I ended up looking mostly at the algae and we didn’t find much of a pattern, but once we analyze the fungus we think we’ll see that some lichen exist only in suburban areas while other lichen exist in urban areas,” said Kowaleski.

Kowaleski said in her original hypothesis that she expected the fungus would have more genetic diversity than the algae, making it the better indicator for how the organism is adapting to its environment. As the project continues, the team who has been working alongside Kowaleski on the research will do further testing.

The project is part of her faculty mentor Munshi-South’s larger project analyzing lichen in rural and urban environments.

Kowaleski took part in the Calder Summer Undergraduate Research (CSUR) Program.

During the 10 week program, students take seminar classes and receive a $5,000 stipend in addition to their room and board.

This summer, Kowaleski said they even took a field trip to go behind the scenes at the New York Botanical Gardens.

Kowaleski said throughout the summer she would keep up with and assist other students in their research. She even checked bat boxes for one project.

“We felt like especially bonded because in all of our science classes most people are pre-med,” said Kowaleski. “So it was special to be with other people who are focused on ecology and the environment. We would get excited about each other’s research because everyone was genuinely interested.”

United Student Government (USG) discussed possibilities for shortening lines at on-campus dining locations at its Senate meeting on Thursday, Sept. 5.

“Our Dining Committee head [Domenic Setaro, FCRH ’20], will bring this issue up to Aramark at the next dining meeting,” said Thomas Reuter, vice president of communications.

Reuter said they will also reach out to Aramark regarding the @barstoolfordham Instagram post on Monday, Sept. 2, showing an insect that was found inside one of the sandwiches from Provisions On Demand (POD) located in Queen’s Court.

USG members also discussed why the doors to Hughes Hall, home to the Gabelli School of Business, are occasionally closed.

“We were told that this was a measure to keep the temperature steady inside the buildings,” said Reuter. “It’s reported that having both doors open creates a wind tunnel. Closing the doors will save energy and heat for the Hughes building.”

In addition, representatives announced upcoming dates for USG events, including the 9/11 Memorial Service on Sept. 11, Meet the Candidates Night for the freshman USG elections on Sept. 17 and the first Student Life Counsel meeting on Sept. 25.

Reuter said committee applications are now open for all USG committees, and the application will be posted on social media in the coming days.

Following the freshman election, USG will create a commission to review the official election bylaws.

Campus Activities Board (CAB) President Payton Hayes, FCRH ’19, and Vice President Bella Albani, FCRH ’19, introduced themselves to the representatives. They said they were satisfied with this year’s Welcome Week, an annual series of events hosted by CAB on the first week of school to welcome the students back.

Events included a Welcome Week Concert, featuring Public with student opener The Usual, and a Speaker Series event, with “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski.

Jonah Isaac, FCRH ‘19, president of Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), also introduced himself at the meeting.

Stephen Esposito, assistant director for leadership and commuter student services and USG advisor, said the Commuter Students Association election will be on Thursday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 13.

According to the USG minutes, CareConnect, sponsored by the Committee on Sexual Misconduct, is now live. CareConnect is a new initiative that provides summary information, advice and guidance about sexual misconduct via text message. Text “CARE” to 718-817CARE (2273) to access the program.

Reuter said some club suites were damaged by the rain this past week and any items affected will be replaced. Students can email questions to usghouserh@fordham.edu.

NEWS

September 11, 2019

Page 5

“The Exorcist” Actor Accused of Sexual Abuse Subsequently Removed from Murray-Weigel FROM MWH, PAGE 1

According to Gabriele, O’Malley was accused in a civil suit that the Jesuits were made aware of in mid-August.

“We have no details concerning this allegation, and no earlier accusations have been made to the province regarding O’Malley,” Gabriele said. “This

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Reverend William J. O'Malley was removed from Murray-Weigel.

accusation cannot be found credible until after the investigation, which cannot be fully completed until the suit is settled. Until that time, an accused cleric is removed from ministry.”

With the addition of O’Malley, the Ram has tracked 11 priests who have lived at Murray-Weigel with credible accusations of sexual misconduct of a minor brought against them.

This is one of several allegations brought to the surface since the passage of the Child Victims Act in New York which extends the statute of limitations for adult survivors of child sexual abuse and allows sexual abuse victims of any age to seek legal action.

Since the act went into effect on Aug. 14, the majority of filings under it named Catholic priests as abusers and sought damages from the diocese and parishes where the abuse allegedly occurred, according to USA Today.

JACK BRENNAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

O'Malley was a professor at Fordham Preparatory School, pictured above.

According to Howe, the university’s message remains the same.

“Fordham has absolutely no tolerance for sexual misconduct

of any kind and will continue to take all actions necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and others in our community,” Howe said.

NEWS

Page 6

September 11, 2019

Night Market Features Over 50 Bronx Businesses: Saturdays at Fordham Plaza Until Late October FROM NIGHT MARKET, PAGE 1

and editor and Marco owned some small concept restaurants.

He and I just both loved food and it was a natural fit for us.”

According to Celestino, the Bronx Night Market provides the local community with food from around the globe in a fun environment.

“It’s a really good time,” Celestino said. “We have a lot of good food, live music, a selection of craft beers, other nonalcoholic beverages, games and programming every week.”

Celestino said she loves to see the faces people make when they are talking with each other and listening to music.

“It’s just a really good vibe, and now that Fordham is back in session I have been seeing a lot of maroon and white sweatshirts,” she said. “It’s exciting to see all the Fordham students come.”

The Bronx Night Market also attempts to help the local community by giving up-and-comers in the industry a chance to promote their businesses and new, creative culinary concoctions.

“We give them an audience and offer them a lot of marketing and branding opportunities,” Celestino said. “We have a large platform on social media and give them a space. Most vendors can’t afford a brick and mortar store off the bat, so having a place to sell where there's a lot of people, it is a good opportunity for them.”

One of the vendors at the Bronx Night Market includes the Bronx Burger Co., founded by Alpha Omar Bah. The business sells quality burgers “born and raised in the Bronx to the Bronx,” as an alternative to some of the sandwiches that dominate Manhattan.

“We try to do that because Manhattan has Shake Shack and all these fancy burgers, and we're trying to do the same thing here,” Bah said.

For Bah, who has been in the food industry for eight to nine years, the Bronx Night Market is a way to get a food concept off the ground.

“I have been at the Bronx Night Market 11 times,” Bah said. “I am ready for that next step to actually start this business and create a company that won’t change my life but the life of people in my community.”

Another vendor at the Bronx Night Market includes Rellenos, which was founded by Catherine Martinez and her girlfriend.

“It started with friends just loving tostones rellenos,” Martinez said. “The future is hopefully a food truck or a restaurant.”

Anthony Milando, FCRH ’21, came from Fordham to attend the event after hearing about the wide variety of food.

“The sense of community we get here is my favorite part,” Milando said. “Everyone is coming together. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

CLAYTON WALTERS/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Bronx Night Market highlights local restaurants and business to celebrate the cuisine and culture of the Bronx.

But Milando said he was surprised it has yet to become a student staple.

“Not many Fordham students know about this,” Milando said.

“What other place can you find a shark sandwich other than the Bronx Night Market?”

The Bronx Night Market plans to get more food vendors, different unique concepts and

new programming for each week with different themes.

“The sky is the limit,” Celestino said. “We just started and we’re only in our second year and there’s still a lot to work on. This has been our biggest year yet and we’re going into the last eight events of the season.”

The Bronx Night Market will remain open at Fordham Plaza

every Saturday until Oct. 26 from 4–10 p.m. Admission is free and no vendor will sell their food for more than $10.

In addition, the Bronx Night Market will host a Harvest Festival in November and a Christmas special two weekends in December. The time and location for these events have yet to be determined.

McShane Announces Several Administrative Updates

Valera, Turner and Ball Take On New Roles at RH FROM ADMIN, PAGE 1

“I’m really looking to integrate new areas into the teams to support them in their relationships,” he said.

Valera said he plans to focus particularly on his new role with Military and Veterans’ Services, supporting the university’s existing veterans initiatives and the

COURTESY OF MARCO VALERA

Marco Valera assumed the role of vice president of administration on Aug. 1.

465 gold veterans currently on campus.

The Office of Legal Counsel will now report to Margaret Ball, university secretary and interim general counsel for the university.

The Title IX Coordinator’s Office will now report to Kay Turner, vice president for human resources.

According to Turner, this will require closer coordination between the Office of Human Resources Management and the Title IX Office. However, she said the relationship will allow for its continued independence, and make sure the Title IX Coordinator has the resources needed to do the job.

“The new reporting structure will offer the Title IX Office various resources, especially regarding employee cases, and an expanded pool of expertise,” she said. “It will obviously make coordination between the Title IX Office and Human Resources more seamless.”

Turner said she is proud to work with such a talented, diverse and caring team.

“To use a simile, our work is more gardening than construction: it consists of day-

KEVIN STOLTENBORG/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Title IX Coordinator's Office will now report to Kay Turner.

to-day attention to our community, and to the policies that make Fordham a great place to learn, teach and work,” she said.

In his email, McShane said the administrative changes will result in a more streamlined and efficient reporting structure.

September 11, 2019

ADVERTISEMENTS

Page 7

September 11, 2019

OPINION

Page 8

The Fordham Ram

“The College Experience” is Indispensable

By TAYLOR HERZLICH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“The college experience.” It is a phrase peppered throughout millions of American conversations.

These three words encompass a myriad of expectations, ranging from picturesque sprawling campuses to close-knit groups of lifelong friends and from roommate horror stories to inspirational professors.

The glorification of this time-honored tradition has been monopolized by the media and, subsequently, hounded into our daily lives.

We teared up as Rory ventured off to Yale and as Andy waved one final goodbye to Woody, falling victim to the practice we’ve been raised to believe is integral to achieving the golden-haloed American Dream.

What is to come of society if this were all to disappear? Michael Horn, an educational expert at Harvard University, has predicted the upcoming demise of traditional college campuses, stating that 25% will “fail” in one way or another in the next 20 years.

The price, both fiscally and otherwise, to attend these ivy-covered institutions continues to rise for hopeful students along with maintenance expenses for the buildings themselves.

Of course, with the rapid implementation of technology into virtually every aspect of our modern-day

lives, the simple solution is to start turning towards online schools. In some cases quicker and cheaper, online forms of higher education seem like a valid alternative.

Herein lies the problem: Online college remains merely an alternative to the classic, idealized experience spoon-fed to us from the time we were old enough to be propped in front of a television.

This is not an attempt to discredit the work that goes along with achieving an online degree, but instead an effort to focus on the formative four years provided to young adults attending university.

The idea of college encompasses a lot more than just education or, at least, more than the kind you receive in a classroom. It embodies life lessons and an illusion of the “real world” in an attempt to push children from their parents’ homes and into a new environment while still freeing them from responsibilities that come with living by oneself.

The knowledge that comes from moving out and venturing to a university is priceless (not literally, or Financial Aid offices would cease to exist) and impossible to replicate by taking mobile courses.

Frankly, attending a traditional American college ripe with brick buildings and stately professors isn’t an option for everyone, whether it be for monetary or personal reasons.

However, the answer is not to disre-

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Harvard educational expert Michael Horn predicts that 25% of colleges will “fail” in some way in the next 20 years.

gard the benefits of American universities and move to an alternative, but to think of ways to increase the accessibility of a modern day education.

America shouldn’t have to sacrifice the benefits of enrolling in university because the cost is too high.

Universities need to start adjusting their inflated costs to become more obtainable or risk the chance of being overtaken by affordable, seemingly efficient online schools.

Tuition is certainly necessary, and funds need to be allocated toward professors’ payrolls or better living conditions for students, but the amount of money going toward the growing administrations of college campuses seems in need of a minimization.

Though I’ve only been engaging in

college life for about two weeks, and the experience may not have been the smoothest transition of my life, I’m ready to praise the challenges for what they’ve taught me.

Attending university can seem extremely isolating — being physically removed from your family, friends and hometown — and though it isn’t always a pleasant experience at first, it’s certainly taught me more about myself than a class could teach me while I remain in my comfort zone.

I’ve had to face my values and morals and reach decisions without wondering what my family or friends’ input would be; I’ve become more comfortable with myself as a result.

Although technology is incredible in its ability to allow us to take

courses online, it cannot change our perspectives in the same way that life on a college campus can.

It is worthwhile to be exposed to different kinds of people and places, something not very common throughout many people’s primary education. I moved a meager hour and a half drive away from home, and yet I’ve experienced the biggest culture shock of my life.

While college alternatives have the strength to teach society’s youth the intricacies of calculus and philosophy, they don’t have the capability to give bright-eyed students a taste of all that the future has to offer them.

Taylor Herzlich, GSB ’23, is a buisness administration major from Mt. Sinai, New York.

A Needed Voice for Climate Justice in Need of Refocus

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Greta Thunberg’s tactics of calling for student strikes may prove ineffective in expanding the environmentalist movement.

By KYLE CHIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Human activity is inflicting permanent damage to this planet. To many, that is an established fact, and recent events — the record global temperatures set in July, the unprecedented rate of ice melt in Greenland, the fires raging through forests around the world — have only reinforced the gravity of our situation. All the same, the past several years have seen dramatic setbacks in global efforts to remedy the growing climate crisis.

That is not to say that the voices calling for action have grown silent.

Quite the contrary, it seems there is more activism surrounding this issue than ever before, with young people at the forefront, chief among them

teenage activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden. Since gaining international attention, Thunberg has rightly been applauded for her unflinching calls for immediate action to combat anthropogenic climate change.

While she has done immeasurable good in pushing this conversation forward, I do not agree with which aspects of the climate “debate” she focuses on, mainly due to her insistence that individuals can change the decisions of those in power through direct action.

Thunberg is absolutely correct in her message that young people must be the ones most vocally demanding action. It will be the children and young adults of today who will face the brunt of climate-related calamities in the future, disasters already in-

evitable because of global inaction up to this point, and which will worsen if inaction continues.

As the activist has pointed out, those in power have thus far proven themselves utterly incapable of addressing this issue beyond mostly symbolic measures. With the recent rise in nationalistic, hyper-self-interested leaders, we can expect even less from them.

Older generations have completely forsaken their responsibilities to deliver a stable future for their posterity, and so young people must forge that future for themselves.

Where I depart most from Thunberg is the focus of what these campaigns to end climate change should be. In her approach to the climate crisis, Thunberg has usually framed

the root of the problem as an inability to change our lifestyles, essentially a lack of will to change.

This is certainly part of the problem; the average citizen of the developed world is far from conscientious in their personal habits and how they contribute to environmental damage. However, even if the people of the developed world did decide to place the environment over their own comfort en masse, an unfortunately improbable scenario, I am not convinced we would be much closer to real solutions. As with many issues in modern politics, the true root of the problem is the intrusion of overwhelming corporate influence into governance.

So long as the fossil fuel industry maintains its hold on the global levers of power, it is unlikely that much if any positive change will occur, regardless of how overwhelmingly people desire it.

Thunberg has hinted at these unfortunate circumstances, using such language as “we can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed,” yet the idea that government is structured in a way that fundamentally prevents movement on this issue seems deserving of greater attention. Without structural changes, the environment cannot be saved.

One tactic Thunberg has heralded has been school strikes, and while

this has certainly brought attention to the threat of climate change, how practical or effective it is as a longterm strategy is more questionable.

The Swedish activist makes a compelling case, arguing that receiving education for the future is superseded in importance by the protection of that future’s very existence, and that schooling will not bring much in the way of further solutions to the climate crisis, as the solutions have already been found.

However, asking young people to abandon their own education, something which has historically been a great equalizer, and something which might equip them to more effectively make the argument for change, does not seem the most effective way to broach this dilemma While I think Thunberg at times places principle over practicality, something which might be seen as admirable in and of itself, the core of the young activist’s message holds true.

The generation currently in the halls of power across the world has chosen to do next to nothing to address this existential crisis for our planet, and it is now up to those who shall be impacted by this crisis the most to do something about it.

Kyle Chin, FCRH ’21, is a political science major from Malverne, New York.

OPINION

September 11, 2019

Page 9

The People of Hong Kong Demand Freedom

By COLLIN BONNELL OPINION EDITOR

Protests have gripped Hong Kong. While their demands include political freedom, they may end in violence if the world doesn’t intervene to prevent a government crackdown.

Hong Kong, a global center of trade and commerce, has been paralyzed by massive protests since June.

While the protests were initially a reaction to a proposed extradition bill which would have allowed residents of Hong Kong to be tried in mainland China, they have slowly developed into a movement that demands greater freedom for Hongkongers.

Although Hong Kong is technically a part of China, the territory maintains several political freedoms not found in the rest of the country, including freedom of speech and of

assembly.

While these freedoms are temporary — they will disappear when Hong Kong is formally integrated with the People’s Republic of China in 2047 — Beijing views the unruly populace as a thorn in its side, and has already begun to roll them back.

The proposed extradition bill was just the most recent example of this tendency, and would have sped up the process by allowing activists in Hong Kong to be arrested and tried in mainland China, where they do not possess political freedoms.

Even without the formal extradition bill, the past several months have seen the mysterious disappearances of several dissidents in Hong Kong — including several bookstore owners and a prominent businessman — many of whom have reappeared as political prisoners on the mainland.

Although the extradition bill was scrapped by Carrie Lam, the chief executive of Hong Kong, earlier this month, the demands of protesters have expanded since the movement began. Many are now demanding a truly democratic system of government.

On Sunday, the protesters went so far as to march on the US Consulate, demanding American support in their struggle for freedom.

Despite popular misconceptions, Hong Kong’s system of government is not a true democracy. The chief executive, who is the figurehead of the city and controls much of its policy decisions, is appointed by the communist government — a caveat which was the main subject of the failed “Umbrella Movement” of 2014.

While the city is governed by a unicameral legislature — the Leg-

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Protesters have taken to the streets of Hong Kong demanding the preservation of their political freedoms.

islative Council of Hong Kong, also called “Legco” — only 40 of its 70 seats are actually elected by universal suffrage, with the other 30 being chosen by influential businesses, professional classes and rural communities.

This system means that the PanDemocracy bloc — who seek to preserve the political freedoms granted by the British for as long as possible — is kept out of power despite usually winning the popular vote. The reason for this is that Hong Kong’s business community has accepted political repression in order to keep the Communist Party happy and ensure the continuation of trade with the mainland.

As the demands of the protesters have grown and the movement has failed to disband, the protests are being met with increasing police brutality.

These tensions exploded on Saturday, when protesters gathered outside of the Mong Kok police station to protest police violence. Riot police responded to the protest by threatening to open fire with rubber bullets and sponges. The protesters, in turn, began lighting fires and chanting anti-Beijing slogans, prompting the police to rush the protesters, leading to several injuries.

A previous confrontation in Prince Edward Station ended violently when police beat protesters causing several severe injuries. Dissidents have demanded that the police release surveillance videos from the scene of the protest, but these demands have been rejected.

Protesters attempted to launch large protests in Hong Kong’s airport and throughout its mass transit system over the weekend to paralyze the city and force Beijing to cave to their demands. The Chinese govern-

ment reacted by deploying riot police throughout the city, restricting access to the airport and stopping buses and trains to check the identification of passengers.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) made a point of rotating troops in and out of Hong Kong during late August, and now about 8,000 to 10,000 troops are in or just outside the city. A recent PLA propaganda video portrayed soldiers attacking people dressed in the unofficial uniforms of the protest movement, and as the protests turn increasingly violent, some international observers are concerned that China may resort to a military crackdown.

The people of Hong Kong have expressed a genuine desire for freedom, but the government they are protesting against has proven to be one of the most oppressive — especially when the global community does nothing to curb its worst abuses of power.

It is important to understand that political movements in China almost always end in bloodshed rather than reform. The most tragic example being the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989, during which the world stood by as a still unknown number of students, workers and bystanders were gunned down by the PLA. It is up to the global community to ensure that these protests don’t meet a tragic end, and demand that Beijing accept the legitimate demands of its own people.

The people from Hong Kong are demanding freedom. Even if Beijing pretends to be deaf, the world must listen.

Collin Bonnell, FCRH ’21, is a history and theology major from Hingham, Mass.

Regulate Firearms to Protect the Public

By EMMA LIPKIND

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

You have probably heard it a million times before: no one should have to go to a school, bank or shopping mall with the worry they will not come home alive. Gun violence is past the point of a major issue in America — it is gearing up to be a full-blown epidemic.

This summer has been no exception. With mass shootings in Texas and Alabama occurring within hours of one another, it seems no state is safe from the threat of gun violence.

Lawmakers continue to sit idly by, with President Trump leading the stagnation in policy with his classic “Twitter politics” — always talking and never doing.

The Second Amendment further complicates the controversy. Citizens want to know that their rights are protected, thus causing intense polarization within the nation.

The solution for gun violence in this country is not the abolition of the Second Amendment, it’s the strengthening of the interpretation of said amendment.

Our constitution states, “[it is] the right of the people to keep and bear arms.” This is absolutely a right that should not be taken away, as many suggest, but let’s reexamine

the conditions under which this statement was secured within our constitution.

In 1789, automatic rifles did not exist. The American militia was working with much less powerful weaponry, and therefore our founding fathers did not account for the possible advances in technology that produced weapons of severe destruction.

The basic idea is that militarygrade weapons capable of killing tens of people at once have no place in the possession of a typical American. Personal safety and security are absolutely the rights of an individual and the fact that guns can aid in selfdefense should not be ignored, but no one needs to keep an AR-15 under their bed in case of a burglar.

Individual safety is important, but our country is in deep peril and it is important to be concerned with not just our personal safety, but also the safety of our nation as a whole.

Those who do not advocate for universal background checks and regulation of automatic weapons are not fighting to keep the rights enumerated in the Constitution, but, rather, are allowing the lives of innocent people to be threatened by domestic terrorism.

Part of the solution is keeping guns away from the wrong people.

This is where a stricter screening

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Two separate mass shootings in Texas and Alabama took place within hours of each other this past summer.

process comes into play. Universal background checks should have been passed long ago. Although we are making progress in the passing of this vital legislation, it’s slow going.

The habit of blaming domestic terrorism on mental health issues or bad rearing is toxic to society because it implies that people cannot overcome their traumas. There are people all over the world suffering, yet only a handful are bringing weapons to schools and public places with the motive to kill.

People are capable of being good no matter their childhood, and it is time we stop trying to rationalize

mass shootings by relating murderers to everyday people. Shootings are not normal; they should not be made to seem reasonable.

The first step in healing this epidemic — a process which will not be easy or quick — is universal background checks. It’s simple, effective and alleviates the worry that guns are being sold to the wrong individuals.

Second, place stricter regulations on the types of weaponry and amount of ammunition allowed to be kept by average Americans.

Although there are already laws in place attempting to regulate firearm and ammunition sales, they are

lacking. In states like Alabama, sellers are not required to record their transactions. Additionally, ammunition can still be sold to those who are ineligible to bear arms. Although these people cannot legally bear guns, their ability to buy ammunition puts innocent lives at risk.

Lenient laws such as these allow domestic terrorism to occur with such intensity.

All it takes is enforcement of the law to heal the country from the terror it is facing.

Emma Lipkind, FCRH ’23, is an international political economy major from Holland, Pa.

OPINION

Page 10

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief Aislinn Keely Managing Editor Hannah Gonzalez Business Director Donald Dugan Operations Director Briana Scalia Editorial Director Lindsay Grippo Executive Director Colette Nolan Copy Chiefs Vanessa DeJesus Maggie Rothfus News Editor Helen Stevenson Projects Editor Erica Scalise Assistant News Editors Eliot Schiaparelli Sarah Huffman Opinion Editors Briana Scalia Collin Bonnell Culture Editors Rachel Gow Kieran Press-Reynolds Sports Editor Jimmy Sullivan Assistant Sports Editors Andrew Posadas Dylan Balsamo Digital Producers Kristen Egan Katherine Morris Photo Editor Julia Comerford Visual Director Bojeung Leung Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is se-

lected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ram appreciates submissions to fordhamramopinions@ gmail.com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

September 11, 2019

From the Desk | Kristen Egan

Get Involved to Be Informed College truly is a land of its own. For four years, give or take, you’re on an accelerated path to the real world.

Upon entry, you’re a scraggly high school student, and, upon exit, it is anticipated that you will be a mature, responsible human being.

During your four years, you can either make the most of the environment around you and throw yourself into your community, or you can stay on the sidelines.

At Fordham Rose Hill there are over 130 student organizations sanctioned by the university, and there are even more that exist outside of Fordham’s funding, such as different online publications like The Rival, Odyssey and Her Campus. That means there are over 130 different ways to get involved.

In a lot of ways, college is the real world on training wheels.

Just as all people with the right to vote should exercise their rights, and all people who have a voice should use it for those who are silenced, these same themes and opportunities are apparent on our campus.

I’ve noticed a lot of people on campus like to complain about issues they see with Fordham without taking any action to make change. For example, it’s seemingly futile to make complaints about entities like United Student Government (USG) or the administration without taking part in the opportunities for direct dialogue with these entities. We are given the opportunity to go to town halls and voice our concerns, but time after time it’s easier to wait until it’s too late and to just complain to our roommates.

Similarly, last spring students were disappointed by a controversy surrounding who the Spring Weekend concert headliner would be.

The saying “classic Fordham” could be heard in every hallway, with little acknowledgement of the student organization, Campus Activities Board (CAB), that worked all year to plan the free event, or to USG, who is “committed to advocating for our peers and improving the student experience at Fordham University Rose Hill.”

Joining different clubs at Ford-

ham was the best decision I ever made. I joined a family in B-52 of McGinley at The Ram, our student-run journal of public record; I joined a sisterhood based in service and seminar at Spire; I helped raise over $120,000 to help beat childhood cancer with Fordham Dance Marathon; and I met circles of people I would have never interacted with in any other way through WFUV and Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP).

The same students who complain about how there isn’t much going on on campus haven’t made enough of an effort to discover their community.

If college really is the real world with training wheels, then students should learn how important it is now to get involved in their community rather than wait for others to make the changes they want to see.

Go to club fairs, read flyers and show up to events. The worse thing that can happen is realizing you don’t enjoy an organization as much as you thought you would.

Students at Fordham have a great opportunity to pursue high-

er education. In so many ways we have a privilege that requires we latch onto our position and do something for others. Don’t grumble past bake sales of philanthropic clubs trying to raise money for worthy causes, don’t ignore social media posts about upcoming events on campus and don’t wait until it’s too late to make the change you want to see.

These behaviors are toxic in society, and if you get comfortable in the position of a passive citizenship, it will be that much harder to become an active global citizen.

Editorial | The Bronx

Learn From Our Location The Bronx is not your typical “college town.”

The area grew to become a bustling urban center independent of Fordham University opening its gates in 1841, and will continue to be a self-sufficient entity with or without our help.

This is not to say the university and its community members do not add value to the surrounding neighborhood.

In fact, a major goal of all students, alumni and faculty should be to positively impact the borough during their time here and after.

However, the Bronx will go on, and that simple fact is part of what gives our experience here as Fordham students the potential to be so meaningful.

The Bronx is and always has been a microcosm for larger conversations across the state, nation and globe. It is a rare opportunity to view, firsthand, the vast progress and problems of an entire country in your own backyard.

There is something touching about a quintessential “college town,” the kind that lives and breathes for its respective university and in return receives sustenance in the form of population, income and general happenings.

There is a charm in such unity of ethos, in the underlying understanding that everyone is there for or because of the same collegiate-oriented reason.

However, like schools in other cities, especially in New York,

Fordham students are only one part of the diverse landscape that makes up the Bronx.

Our sense of purpose makes for only a facet of a manifold collective, and such diversity of thought provides a unique opportunity to challenge, encourage and push forward our oncampus conversations, as well.

Universities themselves are typically hotbeds for progressive thought, movements and action, but it is less common for their surrounding communities to share those same tendencies.

The birthplace of hip-hop, the badass yet nurturing step-parent of graffiti art, the congressional district of Alexandria OcasioCortez (AOC): The Bronx has been solidified in history as an innovative and influential force and continues to prove itself as such each day.

We exist in a time of massive cultural change in a tangible hub of this very change.

A radical symbol in and of herself, AOC is the embodiment of a host of societal shifts in terms of community-mindedness: a powerful increase in millennial and youth activism, a rise of diversity in mainstream voices, a general call for more drastic leftward policy changes.

In February, AOC introduced the “Green New Deal” in an attempt to create legislativebacked action aimed at remaking the U.S. economy and eliminating all U.S. carbon emissions, and her push to center climatebased dialogue has been invaluable to the advancement of the

overall conversation.

On Sept. 5, CNN hosted a seven-hour town hall with 10 Democratic candidates here in New York that focused solely on issues surrounding climate change, making the event the longest amount of time climate change has ever been discussed on American television.

As a point of reference, climate change coverage on nightly news networks and Sunday morning political shows totaled at 142 minutes in 2018 and 260 in 2018.

ABC News, in particular, spent more time discussing the royal baby (over the course of one week) than on the entire climate crisis (over the course of one year).

Simply put, AOC is a driving factor in the mainstream climate conversation.

Regardless of one’s political stance on the matter, it’s important to recognize she began that discussion in our borough.

The Bronx presents us with some less encouraging trends, as well. Many apartment buildings once owned by local landlords are being bought and refurbished by corporate-run management companies that operate remotely.

Unlike other areas in New York City, whose gentrification processes are in their later stages, the Bronx is experiencing such shifts right before our eyes.

These circumstances create an opportunity for students to grapple with the question of being gentrifiers themselves, to be-

come aware of their place within a shifting collective and to examine the way their existence inherently impacts others’ The questions the Bronx poses to us are precisely the ones being asked across the country, and as a result, have the potential to expose us to discussions that are at once extremely difficult and incredibly meaningful, if we decide to embark on them.

So, to newcomers to the Fordham community: take part in the greater pool you now find yourself in.

Make getting to know the Bronx a priority, not just Fordham’s campus. Accept the challenge to think critically about things that might prove uncomfortable or unfamiliar.

To those who have been here and who know its charms intimately, think on this.

Do not forget the richness of the place you find yourself in, and do not take it for granted.

Continue to examine your role within the larger collective and encourage others to do the same.

Do not settle into a busied negligence or fantasies of an impending future because, for some of us, our time in the Bronx will end with the obtainment of our respective degrees.

For Fordham students, the ingenuity of the Bronx makes for a wonderful college experience.

Make sure to take advantage of the ever-changing cultural hub you have the opportunity to evolve alongside while you are still here.

OPINION

September 11, 2019

Page 11

To Like or Not to Like, That Is the Question

By ABIGAIL MURPHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Social media platforms originally were created with seemingly good intentions. Facebook, for example, would be a place for old friends to connect with one another in a virtual space, despite their inability to physically be together.

Instagram was designed to be a space for people to share pictures, one of the most telling aspects of people’s lives.

Social media was intended to be a way to encourage communication and creativity and to bring us closer to one another and more in touch with the world around us.

The same platforms that strove for positivity slowly became breeding grounds for contempt and competition. The same apps that were meant to bring people closer drove them apart.

All of a sudden, people are not judged on their content but on how other people perceive it.

How many likes or comments you receive on a post is an automatic indicator of your worth on social media.

In order to participate in the virtual world, you have to pass a certain threshold: your content has to be edited but not too edited, candid-looking but staged, funny but not embarrassing. The number of likes you receive tell not only you but everyone following you how well you score on these standards, transforming social media into a worldwide popularity contest.

The effects of this have been extremely detrimental. According to a recent study conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health, like buttons were found to be “the most toxic feature on social media.”

BOJEUNG LEUNG/THE FORDHAM RAM

Unlike push notifications, likes are not an option when it comes to popular social media apps like Instagram.

This toxicity is most likely due to “Vanity Validation” and the “Slot Machine Effect,” two concepts recently coined in an article by the Huffington Post entitled “Social Media’s Impact on SelfEsteem.”

“Vanity Validation” is the phenomena that the more likes people receive on a post, the more secure they feel in themselves because of the positive reinforcement of electronic likes.

The “Slot Machine Effect” goes hand-in-hand with “Vanity Validation.” It describes the reward we feel when people continue to like our posts, the addiction to the euphoria instilled by a baseless validation that keeps us coming back for more.

Why is this a problem? According to the same Huffington Post

article, 60% of users reported that social media has a negative impact on their self-esteem. People’s mental health is being compromised by the negative impact of the like button, which automatically plunges users into a popularity contest they never signed up for.

People post content they think other people will like, polluting platforms with over-edited and staged photos that never really represent reality, making people feel bad about the un-edited, unsaturated, ordinary lives they occupy.

Several social media apps have taken steps to phase out the like feature in hopes of combating the negativity it causes for users.

Instagram, for example, is experimenting with allowing people to

see only the likes on their posts and not others’, eliminating this sense of competition.

I believe this will help stifle the popularity contest that has become social media, but also that negative values are deeply embedded in social media platforms and users themselves, and that it will take more than phasing out likes to return media to the positive environment it was intended to be.

Similarly, the social media app VSCO has skipped the like button feature altogether. Joel Flory, the CEO of VSCO, summed up the change in the social media landscape pretty well: “Social currency wasn’t likes or comments or popularity, but curation, quality content and people being inspired by others.”

Comments are an important

part of social media that allow people to interact with others, for which social media was originally intended. Friends and family can share thoughts on a post in a more meaningful way than simply pressing a like button.

Their sentiments become more than a number that will inevitably be compared to many others. In turn, reinforcing positive behavior on social media brings people closer together rather than driving them further apart.

While emphasizing commenting over liking is a good place to start for social media, there still exists a certain set of expectations, a certain level of perfection people must reach in order to contend on Instagram that intimidates many users. People have the perception that everything must look perfect for their followers and they can never show that they are, like all of us, human.

Eliminating likes may chip away at the high standards of social media, but it won’t immediately eliminate them, seeing as they are so embedded in social media and in our ways of life.

What will help eliminate them is if we are being real with ourselves and others if we drop the act that everything going on in our lives and in the world is absolutely perfect.

Social media shouldn’t be the place we go to perform for one another, it should be a creative outlet that, by bringing the world to our fingertips also brings all of us closer.

Eliminating like buttons might not return us to this point, but it is a good place to start.

Abigail Murphy, FCRH ’22, is an international studies major from Boston, Mass.

Disagree with our opinions?

Let us know!

Write in to us at fordhamramopinions@gmail.com!

CULTURE

Page 12

September 11, 2019

From Slime to Star: Young Thug’s Journey to Creating “So Much Fun”

By SAM HADELMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

tah print, and paint his nails to match his bag. Every instance, Young Thug diverged from hip-hop norms.

The elders of the rap community reacted negatively to Young Thug’s flavor. Many were completely dumbfounded that a rapper was carrying himself more like a rockstar and dismissed him completely.

This initial distaste from hip-hop fans would lead Young Thug to struggle in garnering record sales.

For an artist so frequently noted and hailed as the creative mind of a generation, he has had a true issue with making hits.

His last solo record, “Beautiful Thugger Girls,” sold a disappointing 34,000 records the first week — as a reference, Lil Baby and Gunna’s 2018 collaborative mixtape “Drip Too Hard” sold more in its first week than all of Young Thug’s albums combined.

This is quite interesting because Young Thug is largely responsible for the careers of artists like Lil Baby, Gunna, Lil Keed and even Lil Nas X. Almost every trend we see in today’s rap world somehow derives from Young Thug, with the most r e -

cent influential success being Lil Nas X’s smash hit “Old Town Road” which is a direct reference to the sound that Young Thug popularized in 2017.

We see his influence in every corner of the rap industry, yet this has never translated into a successful solo career.

It is like everyone has been eating off his plate for years. Now, though, he has the opportunity to correct course an d solidify his legacy.

Young Thug has been the epicenter of my musical indulgence since my senior year of high school.

I stumbled upon one of his earlier tracks, “Stoner,” while searching on Reddit and was completely mesmerized by his lyrical organization, anti-melodic hooks and taste for effeminate fashion.

Young Thug became my favorite artist around the time of his first splash into the mainstream.

I can clearly remember the day that his magnum opus, the mixtape “Barter 6,” came out. The buildup was controversial, mostly due to his popularization of wearing women’s clothing, which was completely out of character for hip-hop at the time.

Another aspect was the tentative title. He wanted to call the tape “Tha Carter 6” after his predecessor Lil Wayne’s popular album series, “Tha Carter.”

But this did not go over well with the hip-hop community and more importantly, Lil Wayne himself.

He went on record that he would sue Young Thug if he used his Carter trademark, saying, “I want y’all to do me a favor and stop listening to n—s that pose naked on their m—g album cover.”

This sent shockwaves through the rap world, with all eyes on Young Thug as to how he would handle the situation. Young Thug decided to respect his elder. Thus, the legend of “Barter 6” was born.

I thought this album was so good that I showed up three hours late to school that day; I was driving around, windows all down, like a scene from “Clueless,” bumping tracks from the tape like “Halftime” and “Check.”

This was the crux of Young Thug’s persona in the rap game — unaccepted anomaly.

In an era where rappers began using Auto-Tune to strengthen melodies, Young Thug used Auto-Tune to do the opposite.

At this point in time, around 2015, the style and fashion of the industry was still rooted in hypermasculinity. Young Thug, though, decided to dress in things like chee- Young Thug is one of the most idiosyncratic identities in the modern hip-hop community.

Enter his debut album, “So Much Fun.” “So Much Fun” delivers exactly how it is marketed; it is a soundtrack for the enjoyable moments of life.

When making the record, Young Thug stressed that he wanted to make a piece of art that had no deeper meaning or even structure; he just wanted to make a project with his friends that could be played for anyone looking to have a good time.

The level of accessibility and playback value that the record has are simultaneously its strongest and weakest qualities.

While I love that this is an album I feel comfortable playing for my mom in her Subaru, I do not feel like it was tailor-fitted for the abstract hip-hop fans his music has attracted in the past. The Young Thug I enjoy is barely audible, sounding like a cross between Louie Armstrong and Fat Albert, and it is going to take some time for me to get used to this radio-friendly version of him.

I think my hesitance to liking this record as much as his other bodies of work, such as “Slime Season 3” and “Jeffrey,” comes from a position of selfishness. For years, Young Thug has been my favorite rapper and I was perfectly comforta b l e with people

TEMPLATE COURTESY OF GQ KIERAN PRESS-REYNOLDS/THE FORDHAM RAM

questioning his art because I knew its value; I saw that Young Thug was creatively outworking everyone else in the game. Seeing everyone running to enjoy his work and claim him as their own now is disappointing at best.

But at the same time, I have seen him struggle with success and am truly filled with joy that an artist so close to my heart has finally found the fame he has deserved for years, with the album landing him his first number one on the Billboard albums chart.

The album itself displays some of the heights and pitfalls of Young Thug’s attempt to break into the mainstream.

At points, his collaborative efforts really accentuate his influence, like on songs “Mannequin Challenge” and “Hot.” You can clearly hear how Gunna and Juice WRLD have modeled their styles off of Young Thug, even though they both have seen a much easier path to radio success.

The most interesting aspect of the record was how he fit his abstract style into pop structure and how he made his menacing, Scarface-like threats fit in so well on multiple instances on the record.

The best example would be “Bad Bad Bad,” where Young Thug’s addicting flows and Lil Baby’s braggadocious rhymes pair like wine and cheese. This song sounds playable at both a club and an AAU basketball game, which really speaks to the versatility of “So Much Fun.” Unfortunately, the surface level structure leads me away from lauding it like Young Thug’s other work.

The entertaining aspect of Young Thug’s early music for me was debating the meanings of his rhymes, which seemingly had a multitude of interpretations. With this album, everything is so straightforward and obvious that it is probably more attractive for an average listener than a longtime fan like myself.

Though this is not on my Mount Rushmore of Young Thug albums, the weight of its success is far more important than the content.

Young Thug let an entire generation of artists derive their style and musical output at the expense of his success, and now he has finally reached a point where he can eat the fruits of his labor.

A New Tool in the Shed: “Fear Inoculum”

By NOAH OSBORNE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Picture this: the ’90s. A music scene personifying a shift in culture, fashion, technology and, most notably, music. The musical metamorphosis diverging from the feel-good synth-pop sounds of the ’80s into an era where teenage angst against society and social norms were prevalent in the zeitgeist. Nineties icons like The Cranberries, Nirvana, Eminem, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and even Metallica ruled the era with iron fists.

However, there was one band that would assert themselves with a sound so artistically distinct, it would change the genre of rock forever:

Tool. Throughout much of the ‘90s up until about 2005, Tool produced alternative metal music that would shape the rock landscape into something that would forever evolve, never to remain stagnant again. True, rock music has been doing this since the early ’60s, but Tool relentlessly aided in ushering a new sound for both rock casuals and fans alike.

However, like many great bands, it has become misplaced by society’s changing taste. The year 2005 marked what appeared to be the beginning of the end for Tool. Nu metal held a relatively strong base with bands like Godsmack, Incubus, Evanescence, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. But the music world was not blind to the fact that hip-hop was becoming the stan-

dard for music at the time. Rap was forming a tidal wave that would seemingly sweep away rock music and rock culture as we know it. To those who believed this, you were wrong.

I do hope that anyone reading this does not suffer from a severe case of triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13), because after a 13 year hiatus, Tool returns with their latest outing, “Fear Inoculum.” The album consists of nine tracks, each one endeavoring to communicate that the sound of hard-edged grinding riffs, along with voices reeking with angst, still exists. However, after my initial listen, that’s about it. The album does not do much to truly cement Tool’s legacy as an enduring rock band.

Tracks like “Invincible” corrobo-

rate such a point when Maynard James Keenan sings, “Struggling to remain relevant. A warrior struggling to remain consequential.” “7emptest” is also a track that, instrumentally, conveys that the sound Tool is famous for is timeless, sounding fresh after years and even generations without falling flat or stale.

I did find that tracks like the aforementioned “Invincible,” and similar ones like “Pneuma” and “Culling Voices” were the best tracks of the album. I was intrigued by the percussion work on the opening track “Fear Inoculum” and many of the other tracks, as the percussion seemed to be telling a story. A story where the rock genre is under reconstruction.

Specifically, Tool as a band is under

reconstruction, working harder than ever to restore what once made them glorious knights in the battle for rock supremacy. Lyrically, the album does not provide them with enough tools to win that battle, yet instrumentally, it’s a step in the right direction.

“Fear Inoculum” is by no means a terrible album. Lyrically, there is not much substance to back up the album being dubbed “a triumphant return,” but instrumentally, Tool is on the verge of becoming something great, worthy of being cherished by rock listeners and mainstream enthusiasts alike. Who knows how long it will be until the music climate undergoes another drastic transformation.

Time will tell. Or, we could just wait 13 more years.

CULTURE

September 11, 2019

Page 13

Brockhampton Chills on “GINGER”

By ELISE SOUTAR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last year was tough for the Brockhampton boys, to say the least. The most jarring shift occurred in the middle of the year, when abuse allegations against member Ameer Vann led to his removal from the group. The Los Angeles-based, selfproclaimed “boy band” regrouped in September to release its fourth album, “iridescence,” which critics met with mixed-to-positive reviews — a major change in reception from the near-unanimous praise they received for 2017’s trilogy of “SATURATION” albums.

In 2019, following the release of band leader Kevin Abstract’s most recent solo project, the group befriended Shia Labeouf and began organizing weekly vent sessions which they named “Friday Therapy.”

Various band members have told the press that those meetings inspired the concept for their newest project, “GINGER.” Make no mistake: on “GINGER,” the 16-member group is still lost.

But where “iridescence” was erratic, “GINGER” is mournful. The expression of pain is muted, but it cuts just as deep from a listener’s perspective.

The first three singles released ahead of the album, “I BEEN BORN AGAIN,” “IF YOU PRAY RIGHT” and “BOY BYE,” give an impression of what the project could sound like.

Each one is an energetic, rap-heavy track, which is the type of song the band is known to excel at.

While none of these songs sacrifice the sonic and lyrical playfulness

which mark so many other Brockhampton songs, there is a darker undertone present in each of them.

“IF YOU PRAY RIGHT” features horns that sound lifted straight from a funeral march, while the instrumental on “BOY BYE” sounds like the incidental music a cartoon villain would sneak around to.

All of them feature synths which seem like they were created to make you feel uneasy. Even when the tracks are meant to sound lighthearted there is an underlying sense of doom, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

However, if you thought the singles were indicative of the entire album’s sound, you would be wrong. The rest of the album leans more heavily on mellow R&B, especially on songs like the strong fourth single “NO HALO,” where the melancholic acoustic guitar, emotional verses and breathy vocal feature from guest singer Deb Never create an atmosphere which compliments the other singles, but paints a more accurate picture of what is to come.

“SUGAR” and “GINGER” show Brockhampton lovingly wearing their early-2000s R&B influence on their sleeves, as the band delivers moody and impassioned vocals that would make Justin Timberlake proud.

“Patch me up and stitch it/make me better,” singer and group engineer Joba begs on “BIG BOY.” This song, along with “DEARLY DEPARTED” and “VICTOR ROBERTS,” makes up the album’s true emotional core. The former addresses the Vann controversy, as

well as personal losses which oc“GINGER” has extreme high curred within the band around the points, but the reason these songs same time. Rapper Dom McLenshould be split up into different catnon’s searing verse has him playing egories is because it sounds like they the preacher in the metaphorical fushould be broken up. neral service which the album seems The slower and faster songs have to center around, and with that andifferent edges which do not fully fit ger and passion, he creates one of the in the jigsaw puzzle of the album. album’s most moving moments.

Though I like each of “VICTOR ROBERTS” centers the inaround a verse written and performed by McLennon’s longtime friend whom the song is named after, detailing his difficult upbringing.

Though Victor’s struggle is different from the struggles the album is based on, the parallel drawn between the emotions that come with hardship of any kind is clear. “Thank God/when I talk, I know you listen to me/thank God that I’m built for the distance/thank God for me,” is the last line of the song and album, and while it references religion — a concept which lingers in almost every song — the end message is a need for interpersonal emotional support. It is all the members of Brockhampton talking to each other and their fans. It sounds like how the album cover looks.

Brockhampton is a self-proclaimed boy band.

dividual pieces, and the songs flow together production-wise, the overall picture is a bit unfocused, as if it cannot seem to decide its exact direction.

I guess that makes sense, given that the album serves as an expression of grief, and grieving is hardly ever linear or concise. This does not make for uninteresting art.

Rather, it just makes for a lack of cohesion.

If that does not bother you, it is an album worth checking out.

A lot of people are quick to write off Brockhampton as hype that has fizzled out.

However, the highlights here def init ively prove that those people are not listening closely enough.

TEMPLATE COURTESY OF TWITTER KIERAN PRESS-REYNOLDS/THE FORDHAM RAM

Post Malone Revels in Rawness on the Genre-Eluding “Hollywood’s Bleeding”

By ALEXANDRA LANGE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

You never know what to expect from Post Malone. His unkempt hair and face tattoos give him a trap-rapper vibe, yet his soft, emotional voice says something completely different.

With an ability to transcend musical genres like no other, it is impos-

sible to give a clear definition of Post Malone’s style. However, as improbable as it seems, fans are drawn time and time again to his music and are constantly left wondering what the Texas-raised musician will do next.

His latest project “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is a step in a new direction.

Incorporating elements of pop, emo rap, rock, folk and R&B, fans of every

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Post Malone arrives with his newest album “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

genre are sure to find tracks they connect with on the album.

Not only does Post Malone blend genres throughout the album, but he also offers an intimate, introspective account of his personal life. Documenting his struggles with fame, heartbreak and the mistakes of his younger self, listeners feel as if they are inside the musician’s head and get to know one of the world’s most streamed artists on a deeper level.

Post Malone shows us just how much he has grown up from his “Stoney” and “Beerbongs and Bentleys” days, departing from his former brag-heavy, formulaic tracks and transitioning into a style that is uniquely his own. Filled with emotion and free of the constraints of any genre, Post Malone has found his sound on “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

Although 17 tracks long, which is fairly packed for an album, Post Malone keeps listeners’ attention from start to finish.

Previously criticized for a lack of variety in his music, the artist has crafted each song on his most recent album to be an experience in and of itself. With each track having a different yet still “Posty” feel, fans can truly appreciate Post Malone’s artistic mastery. Whether he is rocking out on the punk-alt “Allergic” or giving

pop star vibes on the up-tempo, guitar-centered “Circles,” Malone shows off his incredible musical range and proves himself to be one of the most talented artists in the industry.

The features on “Hollywood’s Bleeding” push the project to another level as they perfectly complement Malone’s artistry and highlight his ability to bend genres even further.

He shows off his soulful side next to SZA on the synth-pop ballad “Staring at the Sun” and returns to his rap roots on the typical trap beat “Die for Me” alongside Halsey and Future.

The three-time platinum hit “Sunflower” is also included on the album featuring the near-perfect addition of Swae Lee. In an unlikely combination of artists, the power-rock track “Take What You Want” features heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and innovative trap star Travis Scott.

At first glance, you may think there is no way this trio would work, yet oddly enough, Ozzy’s electrifying vocals and Scott’s distinct rap vibe actually complement Post’s softness. Their voices seamlessly mix together on the innovative thrashy guitar, heavy 808 beat, proving we should never doubt the mind of Post Malone.

The incredible diversity of style on

the album is accentuated by production from some of the top producers in every genre from the Taylor Swift producer, pop powerhouse Louis Bell on songs like “A Thousand Bad Times” to the young trap producer Nick Mira on “On the Road.” Also strengthening the album’s array of sounds are noteworthy co-writers such as Father John Misty on the folky “Myself,” in which Malone shows off his croony, intimate side and Kanye West on “Internet,” where the artist swears off the Internet and its shallowness.

Teaming up with not only the hottest artists in the industry but also plaque-winning producers, Post Malone asserts his position as music’s most diverse artist. He shares his most intimate and personal lyrics yet and has truly discovered who he is as an artist. “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is the up close and personal story of the ups and downs of fame, relatable heartache and the search for meaning in life.

Malone manages to give deep meaning to each track, all the while crossing between nearly every genre from rap to folk.

If you thought you knew Post Malone before this album, think again. “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is sure to change your mind for the better.

Page 14

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

September 11, 2019

The Satin Dolls Make Collaboration a Priority

By SARAH HUFFMAN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

This week, the Ram sat down with Julia DeMichele, FCRH ’20, the social media and outreach coordinator for The Satin Dolls, Fordham’s only all-female acapella group. We talked about the upcoming semester and some exciting projects the singing group wants to work over the course of this year.

Sarah Huffman: To begin, what are some goals or plans you have for the upcoming semester that you are looking forward to?

Julia DeMichele: This year we are making it a priority to reach out to other acapella groups across New England. We’ve always talked about doing meetups and joint concerts. It’s never really gotten done, so we’re reaching out. We have a few groups we’ve been connected with. We’re hoping to collab with them. So that is one thing we’re looking forward to.

Last year we did the ICCAs, which is basically the Pitch Perfect competition for acapella. It was a big success, and it really made the group so much closer as a unit and as an ensemble. We aren’t entirely sure if we’re going to do that again, but we’re highly considering it and will likely be doing it.

SH: Is there anything that you’re looking forward to beyond this semester?

JD: Well, the ICCAs will be next semester. We’re also trying to get more involved with the community. Our president, Catherine Regan, volunteers with a local elementary school and shadows a music therapist there. We’re trying to find opportunities where a class or a school would be willing to work with us and have us lead a workshop in the local Bronx community. That’s something else that we’re looking forward to and something we’ve never really done before.

SH: Is there anything that you guys do annually or every semester that you’re doing again this year?

JD: Our end-of-year concert tends to be at the beginning of December, so definitely look out for posters and advertisements around then. In the past, around Christmastime, we would go and carol for the community over in the Botanical Gardens. We’re hoping to do that again this year.

We always do the trick or treat for UNICEF every year, which is always a fun photoshoot. It’s cool to see clubs working together like that.

SH: What is some basic background information people should know about The Satin Dolls?

JD: We are Fordham’s allfemale acapella group. We have perform throughout the year at different events like the Keating Steps concert and Maroon Mainstage during Family Weekend with other performance groups.

We have students from Lincoln Center and Rose Hill, despite all our events happening on this campus. Our music director actually is from Lincoln Center. We arrange all our own music.

SH: What would you say is the relationship between your group

and the other acapella and performing arts groups on campus?

JD: It’s cool, because in my freshman year and in the past, I felt like there was tension or competition in some way or another.

This year, even though our acapella season hasn’t even begun, there’s a whole lot more collaboration and communication between e-boards. All the auditions

were on the same day, so instead of being secretive, competitive and not accommodating other people and the girls who were trying out, we communicated with other groups and made sure everyone was able to go all the auditions they wanted to.

We also talked among e-boards about collaborating among the different groups as well. Obvi-

ously, there’s so much more we could do. All the acapella groups come together to do the Halloween teaser concert, but we definitely are looking towards working more closely with all of them in the future.

SH: Is there anything else the Fordham community should know about The Satin Dolls?

JD: We’re going to try to be

much better about advertising concerts. Definitely come — they’re so fun, and they’re free.

Behind the scenes, we put a lot of work into the concerts we do and the arrangements that are arranged by our music director and assistant music directors. We’re revamping our Youtube channel and we’re on social media, so check us out!

COURTESY OF THE SATIN DOLLS AND THE RAM ARCHIVES

The Satin Dolls collaborate with UNICEF for trick or treat every year (top). The Dolls practice and perform in Keating over the course of the year (middle and bottom).

September 11, 2019

FORDHAM LOOKS FORWARD

Page 15

COURTESY OF USG

Last fall, the Satin Dolls performed at Keating Steps, USG House Committee’s annual showcase. The concert features an array of Fordham’s talents in the performing arts, including many acapella groups.

COURTESY OF THE SATIN DOLLS AND THE RAM ARCHIVES

The Satin Dolls prepare for one of their acapella concerts (top left). The Dolls often hold performances, including their end-of-year concert, in and around Keating Hall (bottom left).

CULTURE

Page 16

September 11, 2019

BronxArtSpace’s “Systems of Injustice” Walks Down the Halls of America’s Racist History

By SARA TSUGRANIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When most people think of New York City, they immediately associate it as the financial center of the world, as well as an art, fashion and theatre mecca. All of these attractions are associated with Manhattan and give no thought to other boroughs such as the Bronx.

Tourists from around the world pencil in The MET or MOMA on their itineraries and oftentimes actively avoid the Bronx. Upon informing people that I attend Fordham University at Rose Hill, I am reminded of the borough’s reputation; they ask me, “isn’t it so dangerous?”

The Bronx has just as much culture as Manhattan. One place affectively making art accessible in the borough is BronxArtSpace.

As I entered the newly built red brick structure, I was greeted with a warm smile by Kayla Coleman, the director of BronxArtSpace and the curator of the current exhibit, Systems of Injustice. Coleman has created a space in which everyone is welcome to experience fine art in the South Bronx. BronxArtSpace is located in Mott Haven, a neighborhood positioned to replace Brooklyn as the new hipster haven. The museum serves to highlight injustices

pertinent to the area.

The current exhibit, Systems of Injustice, according to the gallery’s website, “seeks to examine how the structural, disciplinary, hegemonic, and interpersonal realms of domination intersect to create systemic oppression for people of color.”

Clarissa Sligh’s screen prints, “Mississippi is America: We Knew

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SARA TSUGRANIS FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

BronxArtSpace is in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.

They Might Be Killed,” highlight inequalities in the criminal justice system. Sligh has experienced racial injustice in the system herself; alive during the Jim Crow era, she was the lead plaintiff in “Thompson v.

County School Board of Arlington County,” a suit aiming to desegregate schools in Virginia after the state’s government resisted “Brown v. Board of Education.”

The screen prints depict missing FBI photos of two white men, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, and one black man, James Chaney, who were killed by Ku Klux Klan members for helping African Americans register to vote.

Injustice in the criminal justice system continues today. Carol Jacobsen displays images of women who were sentenced to life in prison. The criminal trials failed to explore the abuse these women endured making the sentences too extreme.

As I continued to explore the exhibit, I came across “Vestige” and “Never Make Fun of a Millionaire”

by Mark King, who is currently a resident of the Bronx. In a short interview with The Fordham Ram, he said that his work examines the “shady dealings” of the business world.

I first thought that “Vestige” was a bulletproof vest, but after speaking with King, I learned that it was only a thin linen tank top with Bear Stearn playing cards. King said that he wanted to examine the question of “how our biases play out when given freedom.” This question is represented in the Bear Stearn playing cards in “Vestige,” which showcase the shady biases of former Bear Stern Chairman Ace Greenberg, who was an amateur magician and played bridge.

However, King encourages viewers to have their own vision for “Vestige.”

He said that his love of art is rooted in the idea that everyone can have their own perspective. Various perspectives will benefit Mott Haven in rebuilding a community that can fight against looming gentrification.

King believes that “advocacy should

be centered around art,” and BronxArtSpace is an example of this advocacy.

Philip Robinson’s work, “What has been seen can never be UNDONE,” further connects to the heart of the community by addressing racism in the fashion industry.

He hopes that visitors can see the art as something made by their peers to help overcome the “gap between what you feel is achievable, versus what is acceptable.” He wants his art to be a reminder to remember injustices and to continue to overcome them.

“Art history has you believe only a certain kind of person can make art,” Kayla Coleman said to me. The artists in the exhibit present work that connects to the South Bronx community, while also accomplishing something that could be classified as “fine art.” Art is for everyone, and BronxArtSpace is clearly sending that message.

See “Systems of Injustice” before it closes on Sept. 14.

26.2 Miles of Laughs and Tears on “Brittany Runs a Marathon”

By ELIZABETH HAYWOOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Brittany Runs a Marathon.” The title seems to give the entire plot of the movie away. To a certain extent it does, but it also goes deeper than just a person running a marathon.

Brittany, a 28-year-old New Yorker played by Jillian Bell, experiences a wake-up call after her doctor diagnoses her as obese. She realizes just how much her life has derailed from the plans her 20-year-old self made. Brittany is unhappy with her friends, her job and her love life (or lack thereof).

With the help of her upstairs neighbor Catherine (played by Michaela Watkins), Brittany slowly begins to piece her life back together through something which she never expected herself to be capable: running. What starts out as a daunting

goal quickly turns into a hobby and even something she starts to enjoy.

After joining Catherine’s running club, Brittany befriends other members and builds friendships with unexpected people.

As the pounds begin to shed, Brittany starts to regain her confidence and even challenges herself, Catherine and her new friend Seth (played by Micah Stock) to run the New York City Marathon. Through a series of uphill battles and setbacks, Brittany changes her life and becomes someone of which her past and future selves can be proud.

Depicted to be what some might call a “feel good” movie, “Brittany Runs a Marathon” extends beyond that limiting descriptor. Its themes of friendship, self-love and forgiveness come together to create a film that leaves the viewer inspired and heart-warmed. I was initially skep-

tical of seeing this movie because of the generic fat-to-fit theme the movie’s preview made it out to be.

While parts of the plot were predictable — Brittany will obviously sustain an injury that seriously impacts her plans to run the marathon — there were some twists by which I was pleasantly surprised. I am not a crier — who am I kidding, yes I am — but I never expected that a movie about a woman running a marathon would make me shed a few tears (much to my roommates’ enjoyment).

Watching “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” I realized Bell’s character has a little bit of everyone inside her. Saying “I quit” after doing one crunch at the gym was something that resonated deeply with me.

Film director Paul Colaizzo does a phenomenal job of creating a movie that is comedic yet serious. Bell will

keep you laughing throughout the entire 104 minute runtime and leave you sad when it ends. Paired with an excellent, upbeat soundtrack featuring popular artists Lizzo and Bebe Rexha, this movie can inspire even

the most close-minded people.

After watching, I felt the need to sprint back to the Ram Van at Lincoln Center because Bell put on such an amazing performance — and I never run.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

“Brittany Runs a Marathon” is a very inspiring movie about overcoming obstacles.

CULTURE “Edie” Struggles to Summit the Mountain Page 17

September 11, 2019

By MATTHEW DILLON STAFF WRITER

Originally released in 2017, the British film “Edie” follows an elderly woman’s (Sheila Hancock) effort to climb a Scottish mountain.

While Edie doesn’t appear to be in a condition to climb the imposing Mount Suliven, she hopes to find a long-lost sense of happiness through the challenge.

However, this decent-enough premise doesn’t save “Edie” from being a largely empty experience.

The movie leans a bit too much into sentimentality and clichés to be truly notable.

Despite its attempt to be an inspiring, triumphant story, “Edie” seems to take place in a bleak alternate reality drawn from pompous boomer articles where its opinions of millennials are actually consistent with reality; in the film, the young are oblivious in their few attempts to help doing more harm than good.

The elderly aren’t characterized

any better, though. In “Edie,” happiness resides in a distant, more vibrant past.

Whenever Edie’s dedication falters, the sight of one of her peers struggling with an air tank or a walker renews her commitment. One of the more effective aspects of the film is Edie confronting her own mortality and lamenting a life wasted.

However, the movie’s approach to old age still feels a bit cruel. It’s hard to accept the film’s central premise — that Edie won’t let her ailing health stop her — when it treats the other, nameless, elderly characters as a form of warning at best and a grim omen at worst.

Even with this paradigm, “Edie” still had a chance to tackle its difficult subject properly. Unfortunately, none of the characters feel like real people.

Hancock brings a sense of humanity to the regretful yet determined Edie with her performance, but it is unfortunately offset by the weakness of the writing and the general pre-

sentation of the film.

Aside from Edie, the characters lack complexity and even the illusion of it. Jonny (Kevin Guthrie) is a mountaineering shop owner who ends up as Edie’s guide to keep his business afloat.

The character goes through a fairly complete arc but falls short of being compelling. Guthrie’s performance is weak in places, but his exchanges with Hancock are the only part of the film that consistently feel genuine, as the two find kinship in their hopes as well as their fears of what the future holds.

The insincerity of the film also stems from its cinematography. The beautiful Scottish highlands take center stage throughout “Edie.”

It’s so prominent that the film often feels like a tourism advertisement.

The film’s reliance on slow motion and postcard-like lighting doesn’t help.

A few interesting approaches to framing and sound pop up in each scene, but only a handful of them really stick.

While it fell short of its goals, some of the powerful emotions “Edie” hoped to convey make their way into the finished product.

Much like the protagonist’s journey, it’s far from a fruitless effort when you consider the struggles it took to reach the end.

As lacking as the film might

be, it’s still the kind of earnest, more personal story that’s getting pushed out of theaters in favor of cinematic universes, reboots and Blumhouse Productions horror movies.

Unfortunately, “Edie” is far from the most compelling defense you could make in favor of the self-contained drama genre.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

“Edie” does not reach its goal of climbing the mountain (of viewers’ attention spans).

“IT Two” Scares Viewers With Great Story

By MICHAEL MURPHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“IT Chapter Two” asks a very important question: What are your most important memories — the ones that made you who you are?

Directed by Andres Muschietti and released on Sept. 6, 2019, “IT Chapter Two” is the sequel to the blockbuster hit “It” from 2017, staged 27 years after the first movie.

The film is not your typical

bloody horror flick, where the main purpose is to create scares in unique new ways, over and over again.

This movie, like the one it sequels, differs from most in the horror genre, existing quintessentially as a story meant to touch upon deeper emotions. “IT Chapter Two” uses horror elements as a vehicle to deliver the compelling story.

This key attraction is not only a breath of fresh air for both casual

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

“IT Chapter Two,” directed by Andy Muschietti, premiered on Sep. 6, 2019.

and veteran movie-goers, but it also helps to make the more horrific parts a little bit more tolerable, and in a very strange way occasionally fun.

Despite the high praise, if you have a particularly weak stomach to this sort of thing, it might be best to skip it. It does get pretty hairy in more than a few places.

There were not only way more expertly-delivered jokes in the movie than expected, but more genuine laughs to boot. Of all the movies to expect a real collective theater experience from — people laughing and crying and screaming together — this wasn’t one of them, but it happened anyway.

The movie’s crowning cinemagraphic achievement is its unique transitions from scene to scene. The seamless changes of scenery from 1989 Derry, Maine — the central location of the protagonists — to its modern counterpart, as well as the age difference-revealing transitions of the younger and older protagonists, are worth appreciating.

Unfortunately, like all things, this movie has its fair share of problems, too.

The first 30 — 60 minutes feel needlessly protracted. Perhaps the whole movie is just a tad too long, with a runtime of two hours and 50 minutes. If you watched the first “It” movie in 2017, then you remember the chemistry shared by the young cast members.

Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Leiberher, Jack Dylan Grazer, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs and Wyatt Oleff playing as Ritchie, Bill, Eddie, Beverly, Ben, Mike and Stanley respectively. The cast worked so well together the first time around, and they do it again for more than a few times in this film.

They are succeeded, however,

by Bill Hader, James McAvoy, James Ransone, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Isaiah Mustafa and Andy Bean, respectively, as their counter-

parts from 27 years into the future.

During the slower bits of the first act of the movie, it may seem like the magic of the younger “losers” (as they so gallantly refer to themselves) is gone. But soon enough, the new crew picks up the ball where the kids left it.

On the opposite corner of the losers sits the resident satanic clown monster Pennywise, brought demonically back to life for one last round of good scares by

Bill Skarsgård. Unfortunately, some of Pennywise’s “gags” (if you want to call them that) fall a little flat; occasional spots of lackluster CGI soften the scares.

One more thing: this movie gives a keen sense that the protagonists are the only things that are real, which creates an extra intense level of theater experience. If you are okay with feeling fear for the sake of a good story, watch “IT Chapter Two.”

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Pennywise the Clown returns to scare viewers in “IT Chapter Two.”

CULTURE

Page 18

September 11, 2019

Editor’s Pick | Film

The Princess, The Frog and Other Buddies of the Bayou

By LINDSAY GRIPPO EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

This past weekend, through nothing more than sheer luck of the Netflix draw, my roommate and I decided to watch “The Princess and the Frog,” a 2009 Disney animated film that chronicles a version of “The Frog Prince” fairytale set in 1920s New Orleans.

Suffice to say, neither of us expected to be as satisfied with our film choice as we both wound up being, nor did we expect to feel better off as people for those surprisingly profound 90 minutes in front of the screen.

But alas, that’s Disney, and I’m exaggerating for dramatics. The opposites-turned-romantic interests Tiana and Prince Naveen of Maldonia embody two different ends of a wellknown spectrum: Tiana is a diligent waitress, striving to open the restaurant she and her late father dreamed of together, while Naveen is a spendthrift philanderer, recently cut off by his parents and in search of a wealthy woman to marry in order to return to the ways of life he has always known.

Though taking place over the span of a day, the burgeoning romantic connection between the two frog (once human) protagonists does not feel rushed, forced or cheesy.

Tiana’s stubborn work ethic rubs off on the spoiled Naveen, who reveals himself to be not as lazy as he appears. Instead, extremely insecure in his abilities as a functioning

adult as a result of his pampered upbringing. Naveen, in exchange, teaches Tiana that a bit of fun can go a long way and that restaurants are only as meaningful as the loved ones you have to fill them.

Even the supporting characters in the film exhibit a fullness and dynamism that charm viewers from start to finish. The affable alligator Louis, who also happens to be an extremely talented trumpeter, dreams of performing jazz on the big stage and proves that with practice, persistence and a bit of courage, we can all break the boundaries that once held us back.

The blind voodoo queen Mama Odie, with sage-like wisdom, encourages us all to figure out not what we lack, but rather what is already within us waiting to be tapped into.

Through a comical and visually colorful number — as most of the movie’s musical breaks were — Mama Odie convinces us that what we need is often much deeper, much simpler and, ultimately, much more fulfilling than what it is we think we want.

But by far, the must-see, break-out star of the film is the Cajun lightning bug of the Bayou Ray, an endlessly loyal companion who proves crucial to the success of Tiana and Naveen’s journey on multiple occasions. Embodying a pure and simple appreciation for the power of love, this endearing bug tugs on the heartstrings of viewers as effortlessly as

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Tiana from Princess and the Frog finds love with the help of her lovable freind and lightning, Bayou Ray.

he switches from English to French.

It is worth mentioning, though, that some people initially spoke out against the character in response to the movie’s trailer, claiming the snippets they saw portrayed a harmful stereotype of Cajun people that touted them as “backward, toothless, illiterate people who fart.”

However, Ray’s character arc is full and satisfying, as he displays an emotional intelligence and familial consciousness present in

only the best of us. With a heartwrenchingly unique love story of his own, Ray’s subplot makes viewers reevaluate what they consider a fairytale ending to look like and to appreciate the simplicity of some people’s happily ever afters.

“The Princess and the Frog” unexpectedly made me ugly cry — not your run-of-the-mill, “that-wascute-but-only-mildly-compelling” eye-water and not because everything gets neatly tied with a bow

at the end. No, the movie induced full-on heaves that let out with them my complete appreciation of its extremely lovable characters, its beautiful visuals, its imaginative plotline and its thorough exploration of a culture previously little-known to me.

And yeah, the movie was cute, but it was also genuinely thought-provoking and, as a result, has earned its place as one of my favorite Disney animated films, even if I was about ten years late.

Billie Eilish Continues Her Battle Against Sexualization

By TAYLOR MASCETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Billie Eilish is not here for the appropriation of herself, or of other teenagers.

The pop superstar, who is only 17 years old, has been engaged in an ongoing fight against underage sexualization.

Earlier this summer, in an ad

for Calvin Klein, Eilish revealed to her fans the reasoning behind her signature baggy, oversized clothing style, stating, “nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath.

Nobody can be like, ‘she’s slim-thick,’ ‘she’s not slim-thick,’ ‘she’s got a flat ass,’ ‘she’s got a fat ass.’ No one can say any of that because they don’t know.”

Eilish has previously faced harassment and inappropriate comments from society for simply wearing a tank top or an unzipped jacket.

Therefore, she uses her platform to show her fan base, mostly consisting of teenagers, that there are ways to fight back against these negative influences.

Therefore, Eilish was not

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Indie pop sensation, Billie Eilish, recently called out NYLON Germany for using an image of her without permission.

thrilled when she saw herself on the cover of a NYLON Germany, a popular fashion magazine in Western Europe.

The cover is jarring. It depicts a bald figure closely resembling Eilish casting an unsettling stare.

The portrait shows her from the shoulders up, but no clothing is visible — the avatar is clearly topless. However, the most troubling part of the cover is the fact that Eilish herself had absolutely no idea that the picture was being used.

She wasn’t even photographed for the article — the editors of the magazine took an existing image of her and edited it to their own liking, without her consent.

Upon the release of the magazine cover, Eilish took to social media to speak out against it. She uploaded a now-deleted Instagram post last week with a scathing caption calling out NYLON Germany.

The caption begins with her simply asking “what the f— is this s—,“ before unleashing a list of all of the injustices she saw on the cover image. She reveals that she was never approached by NYLON Germany for the picture, and that the picture was definitely faked by the magazine.

Eilish is also clearly disturbed that she is portrayed as a topless, robotic avatar at the age of 17. She topped the caption off with a middle finger emoji.

Fans and supporters immedi-

ately rushed to her defense, calling out NYLON Germany for its sexualization of a minor.

Since then, NYLON Germany has issued a statement to Eilish, claiming that the cover was only meant to honor her impact and express the style of a digital avatar.

Its statement did not do much to appease the public. Its sister company, NYLON America, issued a statement condemning the cover and expressing its horror. It tweeted that it strongly disagreed with the release of the cover and offered a sincere apology to Eilish and her fanbase.

The entire situation illuminates a dark, pressing issue plaguing Hollywood and beyond: the sexualization and appropriation of hundreds of, teenage stars for the sole purpose of entertainment.

Their bodies, identities and work are being used to appeal to a much older audience. Ranging from online harrassment to even child pornography, young stars are facing increased sexualization in today’s digital age.

Eilish is taking a stand against this injustice. Her message towards NYLON Germany and anyone else who thinks it’s okay to inappropriately use her image is resonating with millions across the world.

She wants us to know that she is the one who is in control of her body, and no one can take that right away from her.

CULTURE

September 11, 2019

Page 19

New York Fashion Week Struts off the Runway

By NORA HAYES

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Every year, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) welcomes flocks of models to strut down the streets of SoHo and sport this season’s latest couture. A deluge of flashing lights and cacophony of media personnel follow Gigi Hadid, Kendell Jenner and Irina Shayk dressed in Lauren, Longchamp and Maxwell. These scenes are familiar to fashion junkies. However, an aura of change is in the air this year. Designers are leaning into the cultural zietgiest and making bold moves with their spring 2020 collections.

Many houses are embracing the political culture by highlighting sustainability, democratizing their runway shows by moving them to streaming platforms or abandoning the concept of the runway altogether.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has a new man on the throne: Tom Ford. Ford wants to modernize Fashion Week, and he wants it done now. He slashed the length of the week to a mere five and a half days, leaving designers to schedule their shows backto-back. Fall under Ford is fast, frantic, fun and futuristic. This fast paced nature of NYFW is precisely what makes New York different from other fashion capitals such as Paris and Milan. Ford understands

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Tom Ford, American fashion designer and film maker has made efforts to rejuvanate New York Fashion Week

that New York will always remain a beacon for innovation, and maintaining this status demands drive and focus from those in the industry. If designers can't keep up, New York will leave them in the dust.

Sustainability seems to be the most popular buzzword of NYFW Fall 2019. The recent rejection of so-called “fast fashion” brands has fueled this newfound interest in environmentally conscious clothing. On Saturday, auto manufacturer Hyundai joined forces with New York-based designer Maria Cornejo.

The purpose of the unlikely pairing was to produce a collection of

pieces made from repurposed leather from Hyundai vehicles.

Television star and fashion fanatic Sarah Jessica Parker, along with Disney actress turned social media star Rowan Blanchard, were among the celebrities attending the show. Off the runway, trendy, sustainable brands like Reformation are gaining traction on social media.

Veteran Victoria’s Secret Angel, Elsa Hosk, recently did a shoot with Reformation, propelling the label’s popularity among other stars such as Jessica Alba and Lilly Collins.

One of the most anticipated shows of the year is Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty, a lingerie line founded by the singer, business mogul last year, streaming on Amazon Prime Sept. 20.

The show follows the recent launch of Fenty, Rihanna’s luxury clothing line. The industry seems to be moving away from the trope of inaccessible, high-class, white runway shows and more toward a populist approach to couture.

The rise of social media and influencer culture has certainly contributed to this wave of change.

Brands are utilizing Instagram to

advertise their products as opposed to leaving their customers to wait for the next runway show to view new collections. The passing of Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel creative director and gatekeeper of the old school fashion world. This February, brought this shift more into focus.

But is the runway even cool anymore? Many designers are accepting the notion that the runway show is a thing of the past.

Although annual favorites such as Alexander Wang and Ralph Lauren are still sticking to tradition, smaller labels like Rodarte are taking a different approach. The sister duo behind the design put out an editorial-style photoshoot to showcase the latest collection of gowns.

The aesthetics of the shoot transport the viewer to an imaginary, ethereal dreamland reminiscent of the gardens at Versailles or the Impressionism section at the Met. The design concept was augmented by the star-studded cast which included Yalitza Aparicio, Alexa Demie and Kirsten Dunst.

Rodarte kick started the runway alternative for Fall NYFW 2019 as more creative mediums for broadcasting seasonal collections are gaining traction.

The week continues until Sept.

11 with even more anticipated shows from Christian Cowan, Cynthia Rowley and Michael Kors, among other labels.

One Theater, One Screen, 71 Years: Goodbye Paris Theater

By ALEX DICKINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After months of uncertainty, New York City’s last single-screen movie theater closed its doors Wednesday Aug 28. The Paris Theater, located on West 58th Street in Midtown, posted a simple notice of closure on the front door as a goodbye, stating: “Unfortunately, our lease has ended and the Paris Theater is now closed.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all our guests over the years. Thank you for your patronage, and we regret that we cannot continue to serve you.

Sincerely, Cinema Management.”

Not far from the edge of Central Park, the Paris opened in Sept.

1948. Marlene Dietrich cut the ribbon, and the Ambassador to France watched. The theater was open for almost 71 years and underwent three changes in ownership.

During this time, it screened hours of film for many eager spectators: foreign tourists, studentcinephiles, old couples reliving the movies of their youth to lonely city-dwellers who popped in after expensive dinners. All visitors were greeted by the distinctive blue velvet walls of its auditorium; they could sit in one of 421 seats on the main floor or one of 150 on the balcony.

The Paris was a dying breed of an already endangered species in the movie theater: the single-screen cinema. At the advent of motion picture showing, the single-screen

cinema (exactly what the name suggests) was typical of the movie theater complex. Film, which is still in its infancy, closely modeled itself after the traditional theater, right down to its mode of presentation. Audiences would go to see a performance of Shakespeare and would pile into large auditoriums to watch actors on a single stage.

Film conceived itself in the same way — the only difference being that the audience was now watching a screen rather than a stage. Smaller ‘nickelodeons’ (admission cost a nickel) were the first kinds of movie theaters, catering to a workingclass city and townsfolk looking for cheap means of entertainment and relaxation off the job.

Gradually, as the movies gained prestige as both an art form and a pastime, the theaters became bigger and more luxurious. Wall Street began to take notice — the movies got money behind them. Theaters grew seat hundreds, even in excess of a thousand spectators.

The Paris was one such large-scale theater, although it was created decades after movies first entered the upper-class vogue. It was born in that strange middle chapter of American cinematic history where the movies had become a common interest of people from all sorts of occupations and backgrounds, but still years before the creation of present-day staples of moviegoing, such as the blockbuster film and the multiplex. It was unique in terms of the vision it had of its audience.

The Paris was opened with the idea of specifically catering to Man-

hattan’s upper middle-class residents, generally middle-aged, ‘aristocratic’ in their bearings and typically female. It originally specialized in foreign films, first French, later British but always the sort that could be classified as art house. For many years leading up to its closure, it was one of the few reminders of the once-vibrant foreign-language and independent film scene present in Midtown and the Upper East Side, a scene that has today been both reduced and relocated, to mostly downtown venues. The loss of the Paris is a loss felt by many longtime residents and art-house film lovers.

The landlord behind the Paris’

closure, Sheldon Solow, has yet to comment on the closure of the theater and has also remained silent about the simultaneous closure of the Beekman Theater on 2nd Avenue, another tenant of his.

The loss of the Paris speaks to changes in the very way that movies are made, shown, and consumed in today’s industry.

Movie theaters, already damaged by the sudden prominence of streaming services and increasingly portable means of screening, often have little choice but to rely on the multiplex model, playing a number of films that fit within the theater’s policy (blockbuster or art-house, &etc.) with hopes that the combined total can sustain

business. Even the rich cultural history and unique flavor offered by venues such as the Paris, are not enough to support these single-stream theaters of the past.

The day might soon come where the only indications of this once-proud practice of movie showing are in the history books and well-preserved museums.

At least with the Paris, one can take a strange kind of hope in knowing that it has seen this all before. Decades earlier the theater closed after the expiration of its 20 year lease in Aug 1990. A management change later and it reopened to screen films for the next three decades.

Maybe they can pull it off again.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

The Paris Theater, a single screen movie theater in Midtown Manhattan, has closed after 71 years of showing films.

CULTURE

Page 20

September 11, 2019

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Angie Caruso, FCRH’ 20!

Senior Uses Instagram Fame to Promote Healthy Living

By BRIANA SCALIA OPINION EDITOR

Editor's Note: the following article discusses eating disorders and may be triggering for some audiences..

When it came to choosing a school, Angie Caruso, FCRH ’20, a New Jersey native, says Fordham was the best fit.

“The distance was perfect,” she said. "I liked the idea of being able to go home when I needed.”

One club Caruso found herself gravitating toward was Autism Speaks, where she served as the vice president for two years.

However, this year she handed in her resignation in order to spend more time tending to her homegrown business. Her Instagram account @healthfulradiance, currently has over 106 thousand followers.

One look at the page gives a clear image of its purpose. Healthful Radiance is a wellness account dedicated to promoting healthy behavior, whether that be through powerful, positive messages or tasty food recipes.

But Heathful Radiance was not originally made to host a community; in fact, its original purpose was to serve as an anonymous food diary.

At the age of 13, Caruso developed anorexia. She also struggled with restrictive eating and exercise addiction from the ages of 13 to 17.

“I was in and out of inpatient hospital treatment programs and therapy for years but nothing stuck,” she said.

She explains that after several relapses, she had a sort of epiphany, feeling like she had hit rock bottom during her junior year of high school.

“I realized I could pull out a shovel and keep digging, or I could suck it up and finally get better,” Caruso said.

She committed herself to recovery the summer before her senior year.

This journey included keeping a food diary to keep track of her three daily meals and snacks.

“For some reason, posting a photo of my snack and knowing my three random followers saw it made me feel obligated to eat,” she said.

As she worked toward a healthier mindset, she noticed a change in her anonymous account, reflective of her efforts to recover. As time went on, she came to realize that she actually enjoyed cooking, and more so enjoyed sharing her thoughts online.

“I use my platform to share food but it is not exclusively that. I touch on my recovery, share advice and try my best to provide comfort for those living my old past,” she said.

This advice extends not only to those struggling with eating disorders or mental illness, but everyone trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She expresses her distaste with trendy diets and comparisons of exercise routines, explaining that healthy habits are “unique to each individual.”

“Society convinced me that hours and hours of exercise and extremely clean eating were indicators of health,” she said. "I followed that belief blindly and nearly died.”She has made it a point not to post a guide of her daily meals and preferred snacks.

Caruso has decided to dedicate most of her time to the account now, even going so far as to gain profit through sponsored posts and brand collaborations. Her advice to her fellow student entrepreneurs: “Networking is key.

“It’s important to get exposure not only to the general public, but specifically to a community of like-minded people” Caruso said.

Regardless of her new forays into the world of sponsorship, her true message centers around the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and of being able to “recognize your pain.”

Caruso goes on to explain that eating disorders manifest themselves in several forms, in contrast to how

COURTESY OF ANGIE CARUSO

Angie Caruso's instagram helps people recover from disordered eating.

media and society depict them.

“I have people message me all of the time about how they don’t think they’re sick enough to get help," she said."Don’t wait for a diagnosis. You are deserving of the help you need to restore a nurturing and loving relationship with food, exercise and/or your body.” .

Caruso said her ultimate goal when it comes to her growing platform is “to open the conversation and break

the stigma around eating disorders.”

G o f o l l o w h e r In s t a g r a m a c count @healthfulradiance!

If you are struggling with mental health issues, do not hesitate to contact the following resources: Fordham University Counseling and Psychological Services (RH): 718-8173725 Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800273-8255

It’s Time for People to Cancel “Cancel Culture”

It seems that every other week, there is a new trending topic on social media about a celebrity being “canceled,” Although the “call-out" culture itself is not inherently new, the trend seemed to take off in 2016. The year saw an endless cycle of celebrity scandals, with many Twitter users dubbing the downfalls “parties," reveling in the destruction of a figure's reputation.

Examples include the infamous #KimExposedTaylorParty when reality star Kim Kardashian released private phone calls between her husband, controversial rapper Kanye West and singer Taylor Swift.

The tendency towards instantaneous rabid fury hasn’t changed at all: 2019 saw the literal burning of eyeshadow palettes created by beauty influencer James Charles following accusations of betrayal of a fellow YouTuber.

This culture is toxic for everyone involved. Public figures are not given the ability to explain or attempt to redeem themselves after they are “canceled” While there are examples of celebrities found accountable for heinous acts, many victims of cancellation were falsely accused or undeserving of such hatred.

The central theme with these incidents is unforgiveness. As soon as a celebrity makes anything that could be deemed a mistake, they are "can-

celed" and immediately blacklisted by fans. As Urban Dictionary defines it, cancel culture consists ”of people who are quick to judge and slow to question."

Several celebrities have spoken out about the harm that social media has done to their mental health. Due to the impersonal nature of the internet, celebrities are bombarded continuously with unforgiving criticism.

Many celebrities, including singer Demi Lovato and rapper Cardi B, have deleted social media due to excessive criticism (many of them, of course, reactivated shortly after that).

“Saturday Night Live” comedian Pete Davidson, who openly struggles with Borderline Personality Disorder, spoke out about the comments he has received encouraging him to commit suicide, saying "No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself, I won't” James Charles, whose makeup palettes were burned in response to his “cancellation” uploaded a response video in May 2019, explaining how painful the experience had been for him.

His mental health was especially impacted, as the video's description is merely the numbers for the suicide and sexual assault hotlines (some of the accusations against Charles included claims of sexual harassment).

In his video response, he explained the backlash online as “the darkest time”

he has ever gone through and that his thoughts reached a “scary place.”

In addition to mental health problems, physical safety risks emerge as a result of internet attacks.

Back in 2015, before the cancel culture was well-documented, the hashtag #CancelColbert was started by Suey Park, a social activist on Twitter. Park accused Stephen Colbert's show, "The Colbert Report" of racism after a tweet that she deemed insensitive. The internet immediately went after Park, sending a bombardment of hate messages.

The situation escalated dramatically, soon threatening her safety, as Park was a victim of doxing and spotted a sniper outside of her home. This incident was detailed in the SyFy series “The Internet Ruined My Life.”

Cancel culture is a frightening reality without any signs of exhaustion. When situations escalate to the level of death threats, it is far

past a matter of forgiveness. There is a need for basic respect.

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with another user online, but the desire to ruin the lives of these individuals is cruel.

The mental health repercussions can be severe, as such hateful comments can easily contribute to feelings of anxiety and the onset of depression.

The craze of the “canceled” culture contributes to an immature mindset that does not allow for empathy or growth. Many public figures struggle with anxiety about being called out for their past or a future misstep.

Forgiveness is not an acceptance of the behavior but instead accepting that it has happened, and making a choice to move forward.

It does not have to mean moving forward in that relationship.

Holding a grudge is not a benefit to anyone.

The Journal of American College of Cardiology found a direct connection between prolonged anger and

hostility and the risk for heart disease and similar conditions.

Engaging in a positive mindset towards a situation is much better for your mental health.

As celebrities on the receiving end of this level of criticism have found, it is incredibly damaging to the mental health and well-being of the “canceled.”

We need to allow for room to grow and evolve, without the threat of being completely cut-off due to a past mistake.

As the late actress Carrie Fisher said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

If you are struggling with mental health issues, do not hesitate to contact the following resources: Fordham University Counseling and Psychological Services (RH): 718-8173725 Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800273-8255

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

SNL comedian, Pete Davidson, has spoken out about the impacts internet trolls have on his mental well being.

CULTURE

September 11, 2019

Page 21

Women Heat Up For a Hot Girl Semester

By STEPHANIE GENTLE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In an industry largely dominated by men, Megan Thee Stallion has given the world what it needs most: a “Hot Girl Summer. What started out as a line from a catchy song has become a movement that encourages women everywhere to enjoy themselves, do what they like and “secure the bag.”

It is impossible to ignore the impact Megan, also known as Coach Meg by the Hot Girls, has made on social media and pop culture in just a few months.

Even several weeks into the academic year, girls can be heard screaming, “Hot Girl Semester!” to their friends while getting ready for a night out. Megan’s lyrics have inspired not just a Hot Girl Summer, but a Hot Girl lifestyle.

The Hot Girl movement was born the moment Megan released her song “Cash Sh*t,” Which is primarily about making money and being confident. “Cash Sh*t,” was an instant hit.

Lines like “I’m a finesser, I’m a fly dresser” and “I can’t decide if I want the new Louis, Dapper Dan yellow/ I’m always in Gucci” had the girls and women of the world feeling self-assured and “baller” going into the steamy months of summer.

Because of the song’s popularity, the idea of “Hot Girl Summer” became the inspiration for thousands of tweets and memes on social media. @Hashtagcatie tweeted, “what is hot girl summer is that just slang for when its so hot in the car ur thighs stick to

the seat.”

Men were wondering if it applied to them as well; @Malblum asked the poignant question, “what if my hot girl summer is more of a sad boy solstice.”

The Hot Girl memes were both entertaining and a valuable source of free marketing for the song and its artist. As the internet pondered what exactly a “Hot Girl Summer” meant, Coach Meg stepped in to set the record straight.

She tweeted, “Being a Hot Girl is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident,

living YOUR truth, being the life of the party etc.” With this declaration, Megan inspired women everywhere to live their absolute best life throughout the summer.

Although the concept of a Hot Girl has made for great meme material, the movement has also had a noticeable impact on how young women view and express themselves.

Even with the heightened focus on women’s issues in the 21st century, women still face challenges that make it harder for them to live their lives.

Girls in high school and college

are often held to extreme double standards in both real life and the media. Girls who enjoy going out are frequently seen only as “party girls” and have difficulty being taken seriously; meanwhile, girls who focus primarily on their education or career are seen as uptight.

The Hot Girl Summer mantra encourages young women to embrace their lifestyles, and enjoy themselves shamelessly in a world that habitually knocks them down. Shannon Strohmeyer, FCRH ’20, believes that Hot Girl Summer is all about “doing what makes you feel good.”

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Megan Thee Stalion has trancended the music scene, speerheading a cultural movement of women's empowerment.

Although some on the internet misguidedly believe that the movement is only about being promiscuous or treating men in a certain way, there is no one way to be a Hot Girl.

At its core, the movement is a way for women from all walks of life, to uplift both themselves and other women.

Megan is unsurprisingly her own biggest hype man and had quite the Hot Girl Summer herself. The Hot Girl memes and subsequent movement catapulted her career, making her one of the most relevant artists of the year and an extremely popular social media personality.

All summer, she posted photos of her having fun with her famous friends, often captioning the photos with allusions to the movement to inspire her fans to do the same.

She posted a photo set of Jordyn Woods and herself posing on a yacht with the simple caption, “Real Hot girl sh*t” and some tasteful emojis this August.

Megan posted similar photos with Nicki Minaj, who is featured, along with Ty Dolla $ign, on her song, “Hot Girl Summer.” The song is currently ranked 38th on the Spotify Top 50 chart, proving that although the summer is over, the Hot Girl mentality is still very much alive.

Today, women everywhere are readying themselves for a Hot Girl Semester, refusing to let the falling leaves and changing temperatures interrupt their plans for success and happiness.

Lana Del Rey Pops Off On Her Latest Album NFR

By GENEVIEVE MALONEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham’s own distinguished alumna Lana Del Rey has done it again.

The American icon who was most famously known for making teen girls weep in their bedrooms has successfully served up her most emotional album yet.

When I picture Lana Del Rey, a glamorous heartbroken woman descending down a grand staircase somewhere in the Hollywood hills comes to mind.

Her alluring mystery, hopelessness and cascading melodies backed by dramatic orchestration are what brought Lana Del Rey to fame.

In her most recent album, "Norman F-----g Rockwell,” released on Aug. 30, Lana proves she can still be that same untoucha b l e i c o n w i t h o u t a s much despair in her love life.

Crooning open with the lyrics “God damn, man-child” in the title track “Norman F-----g Rockwell” Lana displays her sweet vocals and indie persona.

Named after the 20th century American artist, Norman Rockwell, who is best known for his painting “Rosie the Riveter” and dozens of Coca-Cola advertise-

ments, the album explores what the American Dream has come to mean in recent years.

However, Del Rey also relies on her typical cast of figures from the last century like Neil Young. She borrows his title “Cinnamon Girl” for one song, to develop her nostalgic vibe and sense of longing for a simpler time.

In the aptly-named song, “The Greatest,” Lana’s voice pours out over a steady piano ballad.

As opposed to songs on recent albums, which feature trap rhythms, and a “hip-hop affection,” Del Rey slows her tempo.

Del Rey returns to the

sweeping orchestration and slow pace that set apart her first album, “Born to

Die,” from other modern artists.

She closes the song with the lyrics “Kanye West is blond and gone, ‘Life on Mars’ ain't just a song.” According to a New York Times interview, the song supposedly refers to

TEMPLATE COURTESY OF TWITTER

Lana Del Rey delves into a more personal realm on her latest album.

KIERAN PRESS-REYNOLDS/THE FORDHAM RAM

Kanye’s support for President Trump , which he exspressed a few years ago to the shock of many fans.

This is the most overtly political Lana line yet. It is her ability to depict feelings of doom, however, that really make this song a hit.

One thing that’s clear in “Norman F-----g Rockwell” is that Lana has found her voice.

The beats have a unique Lana quality, and she truly sounds deeply connected to her message with every breathy note.

She reintroduces herself as a more woke version of the same unapologetic girl she presented in her debut album; it is familar yet transformative.

Lana writes about the efforts put into this album singing, “We were so obsessed with writing the next best American record,” in the song “Next Best American Record.”

I think the devotion is clear.

The album delivers the version of Lana Del Rey that fans might have hoped she would grow into.

With the killer lyrics on this album that note cultural shifts Lana Del Rey has secured her spot among the timeless musical icons she has drawn inspiration from.

Lana Del Rey popped off.

Page 22

ADVERTISEMENTS

September 11, 2019

SPORTS

September 11, 2019

Beyond the Scoreboard: When We Let a Baby Get His Way

By DYLAN BALSAMO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

In the United States and most of the western world, there seems to be a new class of people in the social system. A type of upper class citizen that has all the money — if not more — of the top percentile and has a boundless influence on all of civilization. We like to call these people celebrities.

The isle of celebrity is inhabited by all different types: movie stars, authors, media personalities, musicians, business people, social media influencers, even a politician or two. One of the most common examples of a celebrity is the world class professional athlete. An individual that can come from any background and rise to success by specializing in a certain athletic activity in the prime physical years of their life.

In America, a country that is able to have many sports at multiple levels be in the national spotlight at a time, there are plenty of pro players across the nation who have hit that upper echelon of society.

The problem with celebrities is that, the more we regular folk rush to buy and see whatever products or projects our favorite people and public figures have been working on, the more we contribute to their brand and the more out of touch they become with the lives of the rest of society. They live in a bubble made up of only things that immediately affect them. And for athletes, their immediate world can easily become a routine of playing their sport, winning games and making ridiculous amounts of money.

Wealth and power has the potential to breed madness to its utmost extent, and such is the case of wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Brown entered the NFL when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, after being a two-time All-American at Central Michigan University. Making a small contribution to a Pittsburgh

team that went to the Super Bowl in his rookie season, the year after, Brown became the first NFL player ever to record over 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Since he was drafted, no player has had as many receptions or receiving yards as Antonio Brown.

Just this past Saturday, Brown verbally agreed to terms on a oneyear contract with the most successful football team of the past two decades, the New England Patriots, a team that has been painfully dominant over the rest of the NFL. They might as well run out onto the field with storm troopers at their sides.

While it is admittedly unbearable to watch the statistically best wide-out in the game wind up with the statistically best team in football, the story could be swung in a way to see it as a talented player who might finally get his Super Bowl ring.

But here’s the thing about Antonio Brown; he has spent the last year acting like a complete child.

During the 2018 season, while continuing to be an impact offensive player, Brown began to develop a reputation for causing problems in the Steelers’ locker room, particularly with the squad’s longtenured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Brown is said to have provoked an argument with Roethlisberger and then proceeded to skip practices leading up to the final game of the season. Brown was benched for the final game against the Bengals, and, after a request, Antonio Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders.

Brown immediately caused issues with the Raiders, missing most of training camp due to improper footwear that caused frostbite, filing a grievance with the league in order to wear a helmet that had been banned and a reportedly heated verbal altercation with Raiders General Manager Mike Maycock, in which Brown had to be held back by teammates.

He was released by request the day before the start of the season, without having played a single game for Oakland.

It was later that day that he became a Patriot. If he can stick around for the whole season, Antonio Brown may have whined his way to holding the Lombardi trophy.

Brown had problems on a team that was not having success, so he requested a trade. When he was traded to another team of such caliber, he caused more problems until he got the chance to be on a better team. He got his way.

It is a shame that this kind of behavior is coming from such a talented receiver. Brown’s absence was sorely felt for the first time by the Steelers, who were nearly silent offensively in a 33–3 loss to the New England Patriots. Brown did not play. He is a big football star with an even bigger attitude.

But Brown is a celebrity, a group of people who sit atop the world with careers that have been sponsored by the bourgeois bequeathed upon them. While some of these celebrities may be specifically labelled as influencers, in this day in age, when Twitter and Instagram serve more people in a day than McDonald’s ever could, any person in the public eye has a public voice to be heard.

And athletes have always been particularly known for being influential for children of all ages.

It is difficult to think of all of the children in the country who idolize Brown, especially those in the New England area who will now see the way this successful athlete is acting and think it is not only accepted but encouraged.

And if Tuesday’s multiple rape allegations have any truth to them at all, it is the mounds of icing on the worst possible cake the NFL could have baked up.

If children continue to look at Antonio Brown as a role model, we may have a serious problem.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Antonio Brown may be a talented wide receiver, but his recent actions have caused issues beyond just football.

Page 23

Fordham Women’s Soccer Starts off the Season 1–4–1

By CHARLIE MAISANO STAFF WRITER

Prior to the start of the season, the Fordham women’s soccer team knew its out of conference schedule would be a challenge.

Currently, the team is 1–4–1 and is working out the kinks in order to be ready for the beginning of A-10 play at the end of September.

Its first four games in late August and early September included matchups on the road against #10 Tennessee, Rutgers, Manhattan and Hofstra.

After going 1–3 in that stretch, the Rams returned home last week for a two-game homestand against the Columbia Lions and the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. In the team’s first home game of the year, head coach Jessica Clinton said that being able to stay at Rose Hill had an impact on her team after the tough four-game road trip.

“I think it made the team more eager to play at home,” she said.

“Playing at Tennessee and Rutgers certainly posed its normal travel challenges. Although we were not playing on our home turf, we were still able to enjoy the comfort of being home to prepare for Manhattan and Hofstra.”

For the home opener on Thursday night, the Rams and Lions started off slowly, as neither team was able to score in the first half.

In the second half, the Lions quickly got on the board courtesy of sophomore midfielder Jessica Schildkraut. Schildkraut, in the 47th minute, sent a shot into the upper left corner of the net that was unable to be stopped by goalkeeper Kelly LaMorte.

After Mallaika Tomar scored her first goal of the season for the Lions to make it 2–0, the Rams needed to counter. Junior forward Crea Baker-Durante would answer the call in the 58th minute, as she put the ball in the back of the net off of a corner kick from junior midfielder Maura Holst.

That would be the only scoring from the Rams, as the Lions scored on one more goal from

Cayla Davis to give Columbia the 3–1 victory.

Carrying a two-game losing streak back to Rose Hill, Fordham looked to rebound against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Sunday afternoon. Following a relatively slow and scoreless first half, the Mountain Hawks ramped up the pressure on the Rams defense after halftime. The visitors took a whopping sixteen shots in the second half, which were all stopped by the Rams, including six saves from LaMorte.

“Kelly has been strong in goal for us,” said Clinton. “Lehigh certainly posed some great challenges, but I thought the backline did a wonderful job in bending, but not breaking.”

Even with all of those shots and opportunities, Lehigh was never able to break through on the scoreboard. The game went all the way into double overtime, and when the final whistle blew, neither team came out on top.

Next, the Rams will go back on the road for four more games. This week includes matchups with another Ivy League opponent, the Yale Bulldogs, on Thursday night.

Then Fordham heads north for a showdown with the Syracuse Orange on Sunday afternoon.

Although both teams pose a threat to the Rams, Clinton says her team is up for the challenge.

“One of the best parts about this team is that I had an opportunity to create a very difficult schedule to see where we are as a program,” she said. “Our freshman class has been ranked #49 in the nation, and Dani Etienne is ranked as one of the top #10 freshman in the country.” She is the only non-power five player on the list. “We want to see what we are made of,” Clinton said.

With A-10 play right around the corner, the team has a couple more chances to see where they stand amongst its competitors.

These games will be crucial, and the Rams are poised to show that they are ready for whatever comes next.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Fordham Women’s Soccer is still working out the kinks early on this season.

SPORTS

Page 24

Cross Country Places Fifth at Fordham Fiasco

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham Cross Country season is in full swing. After a season-opening performance at the Stony Brook Season Opener that saw the women’s team finish first and the men finish second, the Rams moved on to last weekend’s Fordham Fiasco, the first home meet of the season at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. There, both the men’s and women’s team placed fifth.

Starting on the men’s side, the team’s individual leader was senior Patrick Donohue, who placed 14th in the 8k run with a time of 27 minutes and 27.49 seconds. Right behind Donohue with an impressive performance was freshman Ryan Fahey, who — competing in his first career meet, no less — logged a time of 27:40.44 to finish 16th. Other competitors on the men’s side included junior Dylan Serino (27th-27:49.36), junior Patrick Norako (36th-28:03.38), sophomore Patrick Tuohy (48th28:22.85), senior Matt Roma (54th-28:44.84), junior William Whelan (65th-29:15.15) and sophomore Jack O’Connell (66th-29:28.10).

Moving over to the women’s team, its performance was highlighted by consistency over the weekend.

Sophomore Bridget Alex led the way with a 31st-place finish and a time of 20:23.42, but eight other Rams — juniors Dana Beggins (20:39.33), Bridget White (20:51.36), Maeve O’Connor (21:11.19) and Julia Herms (21:35.07), along

with freshmen Mary Kathryn Underwood (22:17.13), Jilli Jones (22:20.63), Nathania Tan (23:35.72) and sophomore Angelica Piccini (22:34.77) — all finished in the top 70. Sophomore Helen Connolly just missed that top 70 with a 71st-place time of 23:54.57. All nine of Fordham’s women’s competitors finished within three minutes and 31 seconds of each other. This steadiness allowed the Rams to finish in the top five despite lacking a top-30 individual finisher.

“Saturday’s race was particularly important in regards to getting the team comfortable with the course at Van Courtlandt Park,” Alex said. “We’ll be racing there a lot this season and we expect to improve upon our performance each time.”

Last weekend’s match was one of two that will be held in the Bronx this month; the other, Iona University’s Paddy Doyle Invitational, will also be held at Van Cortlandt Park. As for the next event, the Rams will travel to Old Westbury, N.Y. to compete in the NYIT Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. Head coach Brian Horowitz’s team will look to build upon the consistency of this weekend, which highlighted the team’s depth, overall talent and, perhaps most impressively, its consistency.

According to Alex, the team is ready to continue this success.

“Saturday’s race was a learning experience, and I will definitely be using that to feel more familiar with the course and run well in the future,” she said. “I’m confident that my teammates have similar mentalities.”

September 11, 2019

Water Polo Takes Three of Four at Labor Day Open

By SABRINA BOYD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham Water Polo had a strong showing at the Navy Labor Day Open in Annapolis, Md. this past weekend, starting off its season with a winning record. The Rams played two games on Saturday, falling to #2 ranked UCLA 15–3 but tacking on a 15–7 win against Iona College. On Sunday, the men’s team was victorious in both matches, defeating La Salle University 15–6 and Austin College 21–4. The Fordham Rams came out of the Labor Day Open with a 3–1 record overall.

Fordham was the clear underdog opening the season against #2 ranked, 2018 National Champion UCLA, taking the opportunity to shake off any lingering start of the season nerves. UCLA was the dominant side, scoring six unanswered goals throughout the first and second period.

Fordham finally got on the board midway through the second period with a goal from sophomore Dimitris Koukias. Freshman Skyler Knoflick scored one goal in the third period and senior driver Yuki Saito gave the team its third goal toward the end of the fourth.

Ultimately, UCLA maintained a tight grip on the lead, resulting in a 15–3 final score.

The Rams quickly turned their gameplay around during the second game on Saturday, putting on an offensive show against the Iona Gaels. Junior Phillip Wang scored the first goal of the game for the Rams and five different scorers increased the lead by the end of the first period. Six Fordham players finished the match with two goals apiece. Junior Gordan Rowland and freshman Sebastian Zapatero each scored a goal for the Rams as well. The final score was 15–7, putting the Rams at 1–1 at the end of the day.

Both Fordham’s offense and defense were on fire during day two. Against the La Salle Explor-

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Water Polo’s lone loss of a successful Labor Day weekend came to UCLA.

ers, the contest remained close at the half, with Fordham leading only 7–5. By the end of the third quarter, Fordham pulled ahead to a commanding 11–6 lead before scoring three unanswered goals in the fourth quarter resulting in a 15–6 victory. The Rams faced off against the Austin Kangaroos for the final game of the Open, leading 7–2 within the first eight minutes of the game. Fordham scored six unanswered goals during the third quarter, with freshman Quinn Wagner and junior Sam Wheeler scoring two apiece.

Ultimately, Fordham steamrolled ahead to a 21–3 win.

The Rams showed off their offensive star power during the final two games. Senior Jake Miller-Tolt led the team with 10 goals

total on day two. Junior Phillip Wang had seven, and seniors Tristian Knoflick and George Maltby both finished with four.

Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Bailey O’Mara was a commanding presence in the net during game one with five saves and two steals. Against Austin, O’Mara had eight saves before freshman Aldo Ordonez played the last one and a half quarters in goal, racking up three saves.

All in all, Fordham Water Polo had a fantastic start to its season with three solid victories. The Rams will be back in the pool on Sept. 14 when they travel to New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational. Their first game will be at 7:15 p.m. against Santa Clara.

Another Winning Volleyball Weekend

By GIGI SPEER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Cross Country earned a fifth-place finish at this weekend’s Fordham Fiasco.

The Fordham Women’s Volleyball team had yet another winning weekend in its preseason play.

It is in preparation for its Atlantic 10 competition that begins in less than three weeks. The Rams swept Norfolk State and Rider University in Saturday’s double header in Virginia, and despite great defensive efforts on Saturday, finished the weekend with a loss against the host team, Radford University.

They dominated their first match of the weekend against Norfolk State, hitting at a .571 percentage, with 16 kills and no errors in the first set, and staying consistent for the following two sets.

Junior outside hitter McKenna Lahr led the way for the Rams, tallying up 12 kills across the match along with clutch defensive digs. Lahr and redshirt junior Olivia Fairchild committed no errors with their strong offensive performances and were set up by freshman Megan Brzozowski’s 18 assists.

In their second match of the day

JULIA COMERFORD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Volleyball is off to a great start in 2019 with several early-season wins.

against Rider, the Rams took the win 3–1, losing the third set as the Broncs took advantage of Fordham’s nine errors. Lahr had another impressive performance, with 15 kills, hitting .325, with 11 digs, while Fairchild and senior Kaitlin Morley each contributed 14 kills. Brzozowski achieved her second double-double of the year with 26 assists and 12 digs, while sophomore Makaela Tanaka recorded her first of the year with 13 and 11, respectively. The team continued their dominance in blocking, tallying 20 block assists in the match, led by freshman Aria De La Rosa’s five, while Fairchild and

freshman Chloe Pejouan had four each.

On Saturday, the squad continued to have a powerful blocking performance, with Morley leading the way with five blocks, 13 kills and 10 digs, followed by seven kills and five blocks from De La Rosa and Fairchild. Brzozowski and Tanaka each had strong setting shows, while Williams finished with a match-high 23 digs, and Lahr had 16.

The Rams will head up to Dartmouth University this weekend for matches against Hartford, Hofstra and Dartmouth on Friday and Saturday.

SPORTS

September 11, 2019

Page 25

Student-Athlete Column: Coaching Change

By KALEY BELL

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Thomas Dewey era has come to an end. The legacy of the track and field and cross country coach ended abruptly and unexpectedly. Leaving behind thirtyseven years of authority, Dewey left the team in the good hands of Brian Horowitz, an alumnus of Fordham University and the Fordham track and field team.

Horowitz has a lot of experience as a part of the team, as he has been the assistant coach for a few years. “Moving to head coach, I have more responsibilities,” he said. “In addition to coaching the student-athletes, I have to manage our assistants.”

Using his own experience in coaching, Horowitz also takes some of his ideals from Dewey, who has held the title of head

coach for nearly 40 years. When asked what he takes from Dewey’s legacy, Horowitz said, “We both prioritize being good humans first and foremost, but academics is another major priority.

You come to college to get an education and we want to make sure that our athletes graduate and are prepared to successfully enter into the real world.”

After hearing these words from Horowitz, my teammates and I are really excited about what the new year and a new coach has to offer for us.

“We were all excited to hear the news that Horowitz was named the new head coach,” freshman jumper Jade Dyer-Kennedy says.

“He was really good as an assistant coach, and now that he is moved up, we can’t wait for what is to come.” I have to say that I agree with her.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham has a new track and field coach, which has had an effect on the team.

By ANDREW POSADAS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Serena Williams is doing everything possible to preserve the proverbial open window in regards to winning Grand Slam Singles Titles.

But, could the combination of young emerging stars mixed with experienced, battle-tested players in women’s tennis potentially close Serena’s window for good?

If and when Serena (23) ultimately surpasses Margaret Court (24) as the all-time leader in Grand Slam Singles titles, it will be icing on the cake for the greatest tennis player ever to grace a surface, man or woman. Her 20-year dominance over the sport of tennis is remarkable when you put it in perspective.

Since beating Martina Hingis for her first Grand Slam title at the 1999 U.S. Open, there have been 81 women’s Grand Slam Singles final matches.

Serena Williams has played in 32 of them. That means that for the past 20 years, a women’s singles final has featured Serena 40% of the time. Absolutely staggering to consider when trying to compare her rate of success in other sports.

Don’t bother trying to find another athlete with a similar run in their respective sport from 1999 to the present day. Longevity for that long is something seldom sustained by individuals. Serena’s only equal in that period of time: the reigning and defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, who have appeared in 9 out of a possible 21 SB’s (43% of the time), winning their 6th Lombardi Trophy last season.

New England Quarterback Tom Brady does not look to be slowing down at the age of 42, and quite frankly, neither does Serena.

At 37 years young, you would expect age and attrition to begin taking its toll, especially when Serena missed more than a year on tour while having her daughter, Alexis, before coming back last season. Since her return, Serena has appeared in four of the last six women’s Grand Slam Singles finals, which included Saturday’s U.S. Open women’s final against 15th-seeded Bianca Andresscu of Canada.

Unfortunately, as was the case in her previous three finals appear-

ances, Serena would again finish runner-up, this time losing to 15th seeded Bianca Andresscu of Canada in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.

Serena came into Saturday’s final match emanating with purpose, dropping just one set in the process and looking as powerful as ever with her serve. So it was just as shocking to me, as I’m sure it was for everyone else watching, to see Serena have eight double faults and 33 unforced errors against the 19-year-old Andresscu. Unable to take advantage of the largest age gap between women’s finalists at a major final in the Open Era, Serena called her performance “the worst match I’ve played all tournament.”

When elaborating on the fact she has lost four straight Grand Slam finals, Serena put everything in perspective by saying, “I feel like, in 20 years, I definitely will be like, Wow, that wasn’t so bad.”

And, she is right. When you look at the level of competition that she faced in those four finals, the path to passing Court’s record has been anything but a walk in the park. Her losses include: 2018 and 2019 Wimbledon final to Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Romania’s Simona Halep, respectively, as well as the 2018 and 2019 U.S. Open final to Japan’s Naomi Osaka and the aforementioned Andresscu.

Currently, all four women are ranked in the top-15 of the Women’s Tennis Association Rankings: Osaka (4), Andresscu (5), Halep (6) and Kerber (15). To me, these losses

have less to do with the narrative of age and attrition finally catching up to Serena, and should be more about the fact that her four opponents are in their respective primes, with Andresscu and Osaka emerging as potential superstars to follow in Serena’s footsteps when she ultimately retires.

Behind them, American women’s tennis looks to be in sure hands with the likes of Taylor Townsend and 15-year-old Coco Gauff, who seems destined to dominate women’s tennis for the next 20 years herself. Not to mention that the current No. 1 ranked WTA player, New Zealand’s Ashleigh Barty, is just 23 years old.

Out of those ranked in the WTA top 10, only one is over the age of 30: ninth-ranked Serena Williams.

The greatest athletes of all time have always shared one common factor: the ability to adjust in order to maintain longevity in their respective sports. Winning two more Grand Slam Singles titles will be undoubtedly the biggest challenge Serena faces moving forward on the tennis court. Her contemporaries have youth on their side and are only going to get better as time progresses.

But, the same can be said inversely. Serena’s contemporaries know these recent losses will only fuel the fire to come back. Stronger. Faster.

Better. Perhaps it is not Serena who need worry about the competition, but the competition having to worry about the greatest tennis player of all time unleashing fury in her mission for numbers 24 and 25.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Serena Williams endured another disappointing grand slam final loss at the US Open.

Varsity Calendar HOME

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

AWAY

Thursday Sept. 12

Women’s Soccer

Yale 7 p.m.

Friday Sept. 13

Cross Country Water Polo Golf Men’s Soccer Volleyball

Sunday Sept. 15

Monday Sept. 16

Tuesday Sept. 17

Wednesday Sept. 18

Syracuse 1 p.m.

Columbia Invitational TBD

Women’s Tennis Volleyball

Saturday Sept. 14

Hartford 4 p.m.

NYIT Invitational TBD Princeton/ Harvard 9 a.m./1:15 p.m.

Hartford Hawks Invite South Kent, Conn.

Clemson 7 p.m.

Manhattan 7 p.m.

SPORTS

Page 26

September 11, 2019

Golf Earns Top-Ten Finish at Lee Memorial

By CHRIS HENNESSY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham Golf opened its fall season at the Ryan Lee Memorial at Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury, Connecticut, hosted by Central Conn. State University.

The Rams placed 10th out of 17 teams in the tournament, finishing at 30 over par combined for the two days, 37 shots behind firstplace Harvard. Nicholas Manning led the way scoring-wise for the Rams, posting a 76-74 for a tournament total of 150, which was good enough for T-32 on the weekend.

After the first round on Saturday, the Rams were in 11th place, but were able to leapfrog Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute and enter the top 10. The Rams struggled on the front nine for the two days, posting a total of 23-over par on the front side. These slow starts did not help the Rams put together a good tournament. Their back-nine gross score of seven-over par was good enough to tie for third in back-nine scoring for the weekend.

Their ability to start out strong and keep the momentum up throughout the matches will need to be improved, as their finishing holes were good enough for a topflight finish.

For the Rams, it was about im-

COURTESY OF FODRHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Golf got off to an encouraging start in 2019 at the season-opening Ryan Lee Memorial in Connecticut last weekend, placing 10th out of 17 teams in the event.

proving on last year, especially with their first two tournaments being the same from last year to this one.

They accomplished that, as last year they placed 12th out of 13 in the Lee Memorial. Key returner and junior Anthony Wells came in just three shots behind Manning and continued to show why he was the most valuable player to the team. The junior from Plantation, Fla. was the lowest-scoring player

to return for this season. As the team got significantly younger this summer, he takes on a leadership role for the next two years.

The play of young new additions Manning, Edoardo Tamburi (74-77-151) and Chan Park (7973-152) provide promise for the season. They may not dominate every tournament they play in, but these youngsters will develop into strong players for the Rams in the

future as they look to rebuild the program into an A-10 contender.

The low score for the tournament came from the individual champion Adam Xiao of Harvard with a 68 in round one. For the Rams, it was Park’s Sunday 73 that set the scoring bar.

The next tournament in which the Rams play is the two-day Hartford Hawks Invite, on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 16 and 17 at

Bulls Bridge Golf Club in South Kent, Conn. Next week’s host placed eighth, seven shots ahead of Fordham. Last year at Bulls Bridge, the Rams placed 17th out of 20, another result they look to improve on in the early going in 2019. Their top golfer at Hartford last year was Josh Madarang, while lone returner Anthony Wells was second with a 156, good enough for T-80 in the tournament.

SPORTS

September 11, 2019

Varsity Scores & Stats

Alex Wolz Early Takeaways From College Football Season I am usually not one to make reactions so early into a season, but it’s hard not to make an exception for college football. With two weeks in the books, it is fair to evaluate where things are and predict where they will be in December. There have been big wins and some big upsets, so I want to take the time to highlight some of the key stories after the first two weeks of the College Football Season.

Clemson has not shown the same offensive dominance we are used to seeing, but they have been an absolute force on the defensive end, shutting down Texas A&M in a game that had some upset potential, especially after Clemson’s escape last year. With Syracuse struggling mightily against Maryland and no other threats in sight, Clemson should have a clear path to the College Football Playoff. I have a hard time seeing Clemson put up another perfect season, but it has become even harder to imagine anyone on the schedule taking down the Tigers.

Alabama, as expected, has taken care of some overmatched opponents.

Ohio State has been surprisingly unstoppable, holding a talented Cincinnati team scoreless. Jalen Hurts has looked incredible at Oklahoma, and Georgia has had a comfortable start as expected. Florida overcame the struggles against Miami, with Feleipe Franks having the game he needed to restore some faith in the Gators.

Michigan overcame a scare against Army, but so did Oklahoma last year, and they ended up in the playoff. With Washington’s loss to California for the second straight year, it seems likely that Utah and Oregon will meet for the Pac-12 Championship, with the winner presumably having a chance at the Playoff. And perhaps most notably, LSU’s Joe Burrow threw for over 400 yards to get a win against the Longhorns. The nation is crowded with talented teams, and in terms of who will earn a spot in the Playoff, it will come down to who can win the big conference games later in the season After what happened last year against Clemson, it is hard to imagine Alabama not making a return to avenge their loss in the Championship.

Jalen Hurts has looked far better than expected, and I like Oklahoma’s schedule a lot; they will just have to jump over the hurdle against Texas.

Notre Dame will play Michigan and Georgia, and if they can win one of those games and take care of business against Stanford, USC and Virginia, they will have a strong argument for the Playoff with one of the tougher schedules in the nation.

If Oregon can win the rest of the year, they will only have one loss to Auburn in a game in which they were predominantly the better side, and that should bode well for their chances at the Playoff.

I know it seems unlikely, but two perfect seasons are hard to come by, and I see an unsuspecting loss happening for Clemson, one which will look especially poor considering the lack of strength in the ACC. The SEC is simply too crowded to produce more than one team. Georgia could very well be in the Playoff, but an SEC Championship loss to Alabama will likely be the deciding factor in missing the Playoff.

Page 27

Football Fordham 29 Ball State 57 (FOR) DeMorat: 20 CMP, 221 YDS, TD Womens Soccer Columbia Fordham (FOR) Baker-Durante: G, SH, SOG

3 1

Lehigh 0 Fordham 0 (FOR) Bornstein: 2 SH, 1 SOG Men’s Soccer Rider Fordham (FOR) Dziedzic: 4 SH, 2 SOG Fordham Villanova (FOR) Weis: 3 SV, GA

2 0 0 1

Men’s Golf Ryan Lee Memorial 303 - +30 - 10th (FOR) Manning: 150 - +6 - T32 Men’s Water Polo Fordham #2 UCLA

3 15

Iona Fordham

7 15

La Salle Fordham

6 15

Austin Fordham

4 21

Women’s Cross Country Fordham Fiasco Individual Results Only (FOR) Alex: 5K - 20:23.42 - 31st

Men’s Cross Country Fordham Fiasco Individual Results Only (FOR) Donahue: 8LK - 27:27.49 - 14th Women’s Volleyball Norfolk State 0 Fordham 3 (FOR) Lahr: 12 K, 1 Tot, Ace Fordham 3 Rider 1 (FOR) Morley: 14 K, 1 Tot, Ace Fordham 1 Radford 3 (FOR) De La Rosa: 7 K, 5 Tot

Athletes of the Week Bailey O’Mara

Kelly LaMorte

Sophomore

Senior

Men’s Water Polo

Women’s Soccer

In a scoreless double overtime draw at home against Lehigh, LaMorte kept her team in the game, totalling six saves and no goals allowed in her 110 minutes in net. Lehigh had 20 shots on the senior goalkeeper.

O’Mara was the top star at the Navy Invitational over the weekend, helping Fordham to three wins. Totalling 24 saves over the time he played, he had two steals of his own against Austin State and received Defensive Player of the Week for his work.

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports editors honor one male athlete and one female athlete for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

News & Notes • Bacharach Gets Promotion

On Monday, Men’s Water Polo head coach Bill Harris announced that former All-American and national champion at Cal-Berkeley Brian Bacharach would become his co-head coach. Now in his seventh season with the program, Bacharach has spent the last year as the associate head coach and served as an assistant coach for the Rams for the five years prior. “I want to thank Coach Harris and Athletic Director David Roach for this great opportunity,” said Bacharach. “The past six years at Fordham have made me realize what a special place it is and I’m excited to see what the future brings for Fordham water polo.”

• Football Honors Legends

Two former Fordham students, Joe Jordan,

GSB ‘74, and Jerry Crotty, FCRH ‘73, were the recipients of the Mara Family Award and Walsh Award, respectively, at the Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner in Manhattan on Thursday night.

The two awards are given to individuals who have contributed significantly to the Fordham football program. Mara was a staple on the Fordham offensive line in the 1970s, and around the same time, Crotty started for two seasons at the halfback position.

• Baseball Holding Tryouts

Fordham Baseball will be holding an open try-

• O’Mara Earns Weekly Award

out on Monday, Sept. 30 beginning at 7 a.m. at Houlihan Park. Participants must be current Fordham students to try out. Students must also have filled out the Tryout Approval Form & Assumption of Risk packet and have it returned to the Fordham Compliance Office by 12 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27. The packet and all of its details can be found on the Fordham Athletics website.

After Men’s Water Polo’s dominant weekend at

the Navy Invitational in Annapolis, MD, the MidAtlantic Water Polo Conference gave their Defensive Player of the Week honor to Fordham’s own Bailey O’Mara. This is the sophomore goalie’s first time earning a weekly award this year. O’Mara made a total of 24 saves in the three Fordham wins, and he even recorded two steals in the victory over Austin College.

–Compiled by Dylan Balsamo

Anthony Cardone The Yankees’ Postseason Roster DIlemna It really isn’t surprising that the Yankees are going to coast into the 2019 postseason with the roster they have. If anything, the surprise is in how they got here with a franchise record for the most injuries in a single season. However, it hasn’t looked like manager Aaron Boone has had any problems getting the win at the end of the day.

But the playoffs are a completely different ballgame when it comes to roster spots, starting lineups and pitching changes.

Because of the myriad injuries that have plagued the Yankees over the season–Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino and Dellin Betances, just to name a few–the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman have been forced to turn to a deep farm system and low-level free agent acquisitions to fill the void. Cashman has done a great job of doing just that.

Some players that have filled in very nicely are guys like Gio Urshela, Mike Tauchman, Cameron Maybin, midseason acquisition Edwin Encarnacion and Domingo German. German has been the Yankees’ ace the entire season.

Even players from the minors like Mike Ford, Thairo Estrada and Clint Frazier have played big roles in the 2019 season. No one would have predicted the years Urshela, Lemahieu, Tauchman and Ford have had for the Yankees. Best of all, most of these players were acquired for basically nothing.

But when it comes to the playoffs, you can only have a 25-man roster. If you’re Aaron Boone, you have to ask yourself who you want to put on that roster, and because everyone has contributed so much when they were asked to step up, someone with a lot of talent probably won’t make it.

Will Stanton and Severino come back healthy and ready to plug them into the lineup or start a game? Who will play the outfield when you have eight on the roster right now and you have to leave someone out because you probably are going to carry 12 or 13 pitchers for the bullpen? How do you compose a lineup with so much talent against a certain pitcher?

This is where you’re going to see how Boone really manages this Yankees team. He has done a great job so far with handling the injuries and the starting pitching struggles. A team with mostly minor leaguers most of the season– and the most injuries in the major leagues–also has a league-leading 95 wins and is on its way to a division title.

It is going to be very interesting to see how this last month of September baseball is going to play out. Some of these guys, despite how good they have been, are fighting for a roster spot in October. A good player will be left off the roster for the Yankees this year, but who it will be is the question Yankee fans and Aaron Boone should start to think about.

Page 28

SPORTS

September 11, 2019

The Fordham Ram

Fordham Football Suffers Blowout Loss at Ball State, 57–29

By DYLAN BALSAMO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After a loss at home on the last play of the game last week, it would be fair to think that perhaps Saturday would be the day that Fordham Football would break out and show the world that it is a team to be reckoned with.

Ultimately, Saturday afternoon would not be the day for the Rams.

The Rams found themselves in the state of Indiana for the first time since 1942 as they took on FBS opponent Ball State University, but they dropped the matchup with the Cardinals 57– 29 at Schumann Stadium. Fordham led coming out of the gate, and there were positives in the matchup that the scorecard did not tell. But, at the end of the day, it was a 28 point blowout defeat.

Fordham put itself on the board first on its second possession, after a 58-yard drive that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run for junior running back Zach Davis, to lead 7-0. Ball State responded immediately to even up the score when Drew Plitt sent a 50-yard pass downfield to receiver Justin Hall. On the next drive, a 5-yard reception from sophomore quarterback Tim DeMorat to junior tight end Jack Lynch would put Fordham as close to victory as it would get that day.

Then, the Cardinals’ Walter Fletcher ran 10 yards to top off another successful offensive drive and tie the game at 14 points.

That concluded the scoring in

the first quarter. After that, the game slipped away from the Rams.

Ball State pounced for an additional 14 points over Fordham during the second quarter. These scores came from a short possession that brought a 3-yard touchdown pass to Cody Rudy and a long, stampeding drive capitalized by Antwan Davis’ grab that moved the ball 40 yards and put him in the end zone. Now, all of a sudden, the first half was over, and the Cardinals had doubled the Rams’ score, making it 28–14.

“I thought we started fast on both sides of the ball,” said Fordham head coach Joe Conlin. They certainly did start fast, but things began to fade.

The Rams had a mishap on their second-half kickoff, which Ball State took advantage of, with Jaylin Thomas recording a 1-yard safety and bringing the Cardinals to the 30 point mark. They then used that next drive to pound out another touchdown as Riley Miller scored on a 3-yard pass. Two and a half minutes later, Caleb Huntley secured another touchdown for Ball State, running for 16 yards. The score was 42–14 before Fordham would score again.

The last minutes of the third quarter saw some back and forth scoring, beginning with a touchdown for the Rams when junior running back Trey Sneed pushed his way into the end zone and the team secured the two point conversion to score the eight points that it needed. The Cardinals answered with a 28-yarder

from Plitt to Miller before Fordham finished off the third quarter with another touchdown run from Sneed. Headed into the fourth, it was 50–29 Ball State.

The lone points put on the board in the fourth quarter were from the Cardinals, when Davis caught a short pass, but it was enough to make the gash that was the Rams’ deficit even more blatant. The Rams walked off the field with a 57–29 loss.

It is impossible to come home from a loss like that and think of positives from the game, but for these Rams, there were a handful of things that did go right for Fordham on Saturday.

The game saw some outstanding defensive outings for Fordham, as three Rams finished with double-digit tackles. Junior linebacker Glenn Cunningham recorded 10 tackles while also picking off a Cardinal pass, and sophomores defensive back Anthony Tony-Itoyah and linebacker Ryan Greenhagen each recorded 11 tackles of their own.

“Defensively,” said Conlin, “I thought we stood up to the run game well but need to improve our perimeter defense.”

These thoughts were no stretch of the imagination on Conlin’s part. Ball State had 444 passing yards against Fordham, helping bring the Cardinals 29 first downs and a staggering 596 total yards. It is almost impossible to win games when allowing these numbers.

What is clear from the Rams’ 29 points is that this loss was not

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Football falls to 0–2 after Saturday’s loss to Ball State.

the result of Fordham being unable to put up offensive numbers themselves. The Rams wound up gaining a total of 326 yards in the game, thanks to the efforts of Davis, who bolted for 85 yards and a touchdown. Sneed, a transfer in his Fordham debut against Ball State, contributed heavily, scoring two touchdowns. While the sophomore quarterback Tim DeMorat held his own as usual, throwing for 221 yards, there was also significant offensive help from freshman wide receiver Dequece Carter, who earned 47 yards from his five catches.

In total, the Rams held the ball for 30 minutes and 48 seconds, just over half of the game.

However, it takes more than these standout performances to defeat teams like Ball State.

“Offensively,” Conlin stated, “our guys fought, but we turned it

over too many times to win against an FBS opponent on the road.”

And turn it over they did.

Fordham was six for 15 on thirddown conversions. Junior kicker Andrew Mevis, who grew up 90 miles northwest of Schumann Stadium, had to punt the football six times for the Rams.

As Conlin pointed out, Fordham was playing out of its league and comfort zone, taking on an FBS team like Ball State at its home stadium, as is the norm for FCS teams earlier in the season.

For a program like Fordham’s, a game against these Cardinals was a humbling experience.

Up next for the Rams is the second game on a three-game road trip, a matchup in Rhode Island with Bryant University on Saturday Sept. 14 at 1:00 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. For Fordham, the process still continues.

Fordham Men’s Soccer Still Searching for First Win This Season

By ANDREW POSADAS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After starting the season on the road with a close loss to Hofstra and rallying back to finish tied in overtime to NJIT, it seemed a home game would be just what the doctor ordered to get Fordham back on track. The Rams welcomed the Rider University Broncs, who were also looking for thier first win this season over the weekend after losing their first game against the University of Connecticut, to Jack Coffey Field.

Despite having the edge in total shots and corner kicks earned, Fordham could not finish where it counted most: the final score.

The Broncs succeeded in playing spoiler, maintaining their 2–0 lead to earn their first victory this season.

As for Fordham, the disappointing loss dropped them to 0-2-1, and the Rams were left scratching their heads in a game where they were the better team throughout. The team could not dwell on the loss too long, with an upcoming road game at Villanova University on Tuesday evening.

The first half against the Wildcats went eerily similar to the Rams’ previous game at home to Rider. Fordham outshot Villanova, 9–5, in the first 45 minutes of play. Unfortunately, as was the

MACKENZIE CRANNA/THE FORDHAM RAM

For the third time in four games, Fordham Men’s Soccer was held scoreless as head coach Carlo Acquista continues searching for answers on offense.

case over the weekend, the Rams could not take advantage of potential scoring chances in the final third of play.

What was different in this game was the impressive effort from the Fordham defense.

Facing a team that had outscored its opponents 6–0 in three games this season, senior defender captain Joergen Oland and the Rams’ back line did a phenomenal job keeping the Wildcat offense in check throughout regulation.

The second half saw more of a back and forth in shots between the two squads, with Fordham holding a slight advantage in shots, 6–5. Besides outshooting the Wildcats, the Rams had seven corner kicks to just one for the home team. 90 minutes of regulation was not enough for either team, as the game went into overtime scoreless.

The first overtime period saw three shots between the teams with Fordham again controlling

the shots category, 2–1. Ten extra minutes proved to be insufficient, and the game would get one final OT period to decide a winner.

Just one minute into the second OT, the Wildcats finally broke through to send its home fans at Higgins Soccer Complex happy. Villanova forward Lyam Mackinnon was in the right place at the right time, striking on a rebounded shot in the box to keep the Wildcats undefeated on the season.

Fordham now stands with a record of 0-3-1 through four games this season, the Rams offense has been nearly non-existent. Fordham has been held scoreless in three of those games and head coach Carlo Acquista will need to find answers on offensive quickly with Atlantic 10 Conference play rapidly approaching.

Up next for men’s soccer: their second home game of the season against Holy Cross on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.